


Nostalgia

by Alphabeti-Spaghetti (HolyMcFuckingShit)



Category: Minecraft diaries - Fandom, aphmau - Fandom
Genre: Btw SI is aro/ace so no relationships, I just think they’re cute together, I mean, I would read it though, I've seen self-Insert fics for the BAND muse, If youre interested in this just watch MCD on youtube bc its much much better than this, Im bad at writing and I'd like to think it gets better but it really doesn't, In the spirit of MCD getting a reboot, Minecraft, Minecraft Diaries, Possible garrence or whatever Garroth/Laurence is called, SI/OC, Self-Insert, Why is THIS the story I can write past a few chapters, i don’t know what I’m going to do with Aaron now..., i guess its not that bad??, i just suck at writing, not the only SI fic either, oh yeah i should tag that, plus they’re underage so that would be yucky, so um, tbh even though everything looks much nicer I like the style of the original better, tbh it would be mostly for the art, why did I write this, why why why
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2020-07-08 12:27:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 75,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19869652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolyMcFuckingShit/pseuds/Alphabeti-Spaghetti
Summary: So if you've read the tags then you get my general mood about this fic. I really enjoy writing it though, so I'm sharing it.High school junior 'Cat' Sarto is suddenly struck by nostalgia at 3:00 am on a Friday, and binges Minecraft Diaries until they literally pass out. In a totally unforeseen move, they wake up in the place of Jessica's character, Aphmau. Not convinced that this isn't some weird fever dream brought on by their unhealthy sleep schedule, they play along with the beginning beats of MCD until they've buried themself too deep to dig themself out.Minecraft is owned by Microsoft, and Minecraft Diaries is owned by Catface/Jessica's company. I own nothing except my slightly altered self and the artwork.





	1. In which I wake up in a strange land.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um  
> If you read the tags you've probably assumed there's supposed to be art in here.  
> And there is.  
> But  
> I can't figure out how to put it on here.  
> So  
> if you know  
> please  
> send help  
> Edit: as you probably suspect, it's all good now.

I breathe in the scents of crushed grass and wet dirt. I can feel the texture of Astro-Turf on my back and the breeze tickles my skin, causing goosebumps to rise on my arms. Last night, I had… rediscovered Aphmau, and had stayed up way too late re-watching the entirety of Minecraft Diaries: Season 1. And then I feel asleep, in my bed, which is in the basement. Needless to say, basements don’t exactly have grass or birdsong in them.

I blink my eyes open, and conclude I’ve mysteriously fallen sick, and I’m having a fever dream. After all, why else would the sky look like pixel art? Or my hands look like a minecraft models? Maybe if I close my eyes and count to ten, I can wake up.

When I reach ten, I don’t wake up, but my body starts to buzz. It feels almost like my blood is vibrating inside of my veins. Not. Good. I can HEAR it. It builds and builds and builds, until it is a high pitched screaming in ears. Then, it stops.

I stick my pinky in my ear to check for blood. Well, I look like a normal human now! That’s… something I’d never thought I’d say.

Unfortunately, I’m only wearing my sleep shorts and my boxers. Since it’s a dream, it’s probably ok. Though my sleep shorts seem suspiciously big on me. Actually, it seems like I just am a human-ified version of the minecraft skin I was.

Despite looking like a flat green, the grass feels just like faux-grass beneath my feet. Odd.

Well if I remember anything about Minecraft from when I was ten, the first thing you do is get some wood. I pad over to an oak tree, and hesitantly punch the wood. A crack appears beneath my fist, with the accompanying sound effect. Actually, I don’t think I’m as tall as I’m supposed to be. The default minecraft height is two blocks… and I’m only one and a half.

My fever dream must be glitching, because I can hear the wood punching sound effect playing twice. Or not. I stare at the elaborately skinned player as he breaks a block of wood, makes eye contact, and runs away. Interesting. I meander over to the floating tree, and feel the smooth texture of wood as I rest against it. Despite looking like a flat object, my tactile senses are telling me it has texture. It’s trippy. Well, if this was a book, I’d follow him. After I clear a few trees, a small minecraft village comes into sight. If the landscape hadn’t informed me that there was a texture pack installed, the sight of the villagers as actual minecraft players would. Despite their appearance, their aimless walking and getting caught in water sources informed me that they were AI, not a player. Unlike that person earlier. Their actions were deliberate.

At least I won’t have to worry about sleeping on dirt. Now, I should probably find a sheep to get a bed, or find or craft a crafting bench so I can mine through the night. It’s weird that I’m tired in a dream, but, well, don’t question dream logic. By the well, there’s a hole that leads to a small cave system, so I can strip mine from there. But right now, I’m focusing on finding shelter. The library is right by the cave, and has a crafting bench in it! I think I’ll stay here.

But first, I’m hungry. If I get some wheat, I can make... bread? Yeah. So… I look at the wheat, look at my fist, and then back at the wheat. Ever so slowly, I move my fist towards the grain. It makes that weird grass-step sound, and explodes in a bunch of wheat-colored particles into two pieces of pixel art: a wheat bushel, and a handful of seeds. They both zoom towards me, and disappear when they make contact. When this happens, a ‘pop!’ sounds behind me.Quickly turning around, I discover nothing. I’m unsuprised. But still, if I picked up those items, how can I access my inventory. As I’m thinking, I wipe my hands on the back of my shorts- or rather, try to. For I encounter a small, wooden box with my hands on the waistband of my shorts. Twisting around, I make out what seems to be a small chest on the waistband of my shorts. Hesitantly, I flick it open.

“Oh sweet jesus!” I shriek when a transparent brown rectangle appears in the air in front of me. I try to look at the back of it, but it seems to stay in the middle of my vision. I recognize the screen, of course. It’s my inventory. And there’s me! Well, a minecraft caricature of the body I’m in, of course. I don’t completely fill up the space provided for an avatar, so it appears I’m right about being shorter. My hair is the long black-blue that I’ve been continually tucking behind my ear when it gets in the way, and my eyes are brown, like my real ones. But instead of green undertones, there’s orange undertones. That also explains why it was such a pain to have to just walk places- I’m going to have to install stairs everywhere if I’m living here. My inventory is almost empty, of course, except for one wheat, one seed, a little silver needle tipped with gold, a gold coin with the pixel art of a minecraft dog on it, and a golden token of some sort. Didn’t Aphmau use that dog coin to get a dog? Is a dog in there? If I put it on the ground can I get a dog?

That’s not what I should be worrying about now. The little red hexagonal highlight that shows what inventory slot is my hand isn’t hovering over any of the items in my hot bar. How do I get it to move? Should I say the number of the slot, or say the name of the item? Maybe it’s something else. How will I know? How will I get, say, my sword, if it’s in slot one? What happens if I really need to hold what’s in slot one? How do I do that? How do I access slot one-

Oh. That’s how. I feel dumb. Slot… five.

Three more for bread. Wait… how am I gonna eat pixel art- AND WHY IS THE WHEAT VIBRATING?! In an explosion of smoke particles, a handful of yellow grass stalks sit in my hand. Is this wheat? Did the wheat just transform into real wheat? What the fuck. I open my hand and watch the blades of grass fall onto the dirt. When the last one hits the dirt, more smoke particles appear, and the item begins to bob in the air, as pixely as it was beforehand. It get sucked into my inventory again.

I guess that’s how I’m gonna eat the bread.


	2. In which I get acquainted with my surroundings, and take my first quest.

It’s not bad. It’s not warm, like it was baked, but it kinda tastes like sourdough, and isn’t stale. I was kinda worried there was just gonna be flour in there.

I try to sleep, but I simply cannot get comfortable on the wooden planks, so I make a wooden pickaxe, and mine until I’m tired. When that breaks, I go up and make myself a set of stone tools, and head back down. When I come up again, I have fourteen and a half stacks of cobblestone, almost one and a half stacks of coal, and seventeen pieces of iron. I make an iron sword, pickaxe, and chest plate, before I pass out on the wood planked floors of the library.

I wake up to discover that the iron and stack of cobble I was smelting had finished. Good. Time to renovate the village. I’ve always wanted to rebuild a minecraft village, but I’ve never done it. What better time to do it than during a dream? Plus, I tried to put the armor on, but it transformed into real armor- well, not _real_ real armor, but it became wearable for me while still looking like the armor in the texturepack.

I demolish the farms, and build houses with farms in their roofs where they were. Since they were in the terrain, there’s space where they rested on towers of dirt. If I want interesting houses, I could make them circular. I think one source block feeds a three by three square of farmland? If I make a circle with a radius of two… then put waterlogged stairs in the corners, because there isn’t one block center in a small circle in minecraft- but then I’d have to put signs of the bits where you can see water so it doesn’t flood everyplace… and then I’ll need sand, for the windows, which I can do at the second block off the ground- I should make the interior three high… if I put fences around the farms no one can get in… I want more wheat, so I should make rectangle houses for that… but the circle farms can be Pam’s Harvest Craft stuff.. Because this village, the layout, the texturepack, the villagers… this looks just like Phoenix Drop from Minecraft Diaries, so Pam’s Harvest Craft should be installed, too.

Once the houses are done- I took down the two x two x three houses, you know, those tiny little ones, and made them bigger, I move onto the roads. I replace them with stone, because it looks cool in the texturepack, and put stone stairs whenever the road changed elevation, so I wasn’t climbing over EVERYTHING. When that’s finished, the sun seems to be setting. It’s been, like, six hours, max. But, in-game days are technically twenty minutes, so at least it’s longer than that! Time to see how, exactly, I use a sword here.

Despite being blocky, the zombie still manages to scare me because a) it’s taller than me, and b) it’s trying to kill me. I summon my sword to my hand, and start waving it frantically. It looks awesome, when it changes, but now is not the time for gawking. In minecraft, people basically just chop with it, so I should be fine, right? The zombie punches me in the face, as if responding to my thoughts. The health bar appears in the corner of my vision, one of the hexagons slashed through. With one final sweep of my sword, I killed him. Unfortunately, I now have zombie brains in my inventory, and my sword is stuck in a block because I swung too wide. Apparently, I’m gonna have to learn the fine art of swordsmanship in order to survive in this dream.

I skedaddle back to my house to sleep through the night. I end up checking out all the things I can make with the recipe searcher instead. I come out with a conviction to make a stuffed animal and also a flower crown.

I smile at my work. The village looks way nicer, there are more homes, and some of the homes got upgraded, the guards aren’t swimming in the well instead of doing their jobs… I don’t have to jump two-thirds of my height to travel the roads… life is good.

As I walk down the road, I happen to brush by an NPC who was just standing still.

“The village looks nicer… did you do this?” I jump at the first human voice I’ve heard in almost two days. Heart pounding, I turn and look at the NPC who spoke. It’s a guard, with a white cape and a helmet completely covering his head. Oh, right, this is Minecraft Diaries. And that’s Garroth. I touch him again.

“The village looks nicer… did you do this?” Okay, he just says the same thing. When I touch the other NPCs, it gives me the option to interact with them, but none of them have ever taken the initiative like that. And none of them had actual human voices. Neat. But anyway, I have like three stacks of dirt, and if I remember correctly, there’s some villages without streets in the ocean. If I just climb over this hill… make a boat… and row myself over there I can get rid of this dirt AND do a charitable act at the same time. They still can’t get to their houses, but at least they’re not swimming all the time?

Just before I begin rowing back to the village, I brush by an NPC. the options for interaction with Donna the farmer pop up. You know what? I’m gonna take my chances!

‘Really? I hadn’t heard.’ She likes me! Again!

‘Have you found any emeralds while mining?’ Again!

‘You heard this from where?’ 32 hearts. She really really likes me!

“You know what Donna, you’re coming with me.” I select ‘Follow me’, and bodily pull her into the boat. Since she’s an NPC, she doesn’t react.

“Allons-y!” I begin to row.

Donna seems to like her new home. I put her (I clicked ‘stay’) in one of the circle farm houses. That’s great. Also, Garroth is standing on top of one of the houses.

“How did you get there?” I ask him. He doesn’t reply, of course, but it was a thought. Going inside, I noticed someone had installed a ladder in the house leading up to the roof.

“Hey, Garroth, buddy, did you put those ladders-” as soon as I touch him, my vision greys out, and some words and a little Garroth avatar pops up in the bottom left of my vision.

“You’ve talked to Zenix, I suppose?” he says, as I read the white words. So the words are what he says, right, right, I knew that. Next to the Garroth avatar, there is two options. ‘Yeah…’ in green, and ‘Not yet!’ in red.

“Not yet!” I say, and the red words appear below his.

“Go talk to him please,” he replies. When I turn around to go find the other guard, the world comes back in full color. Zenix… Zenix… Zenix… doesn’t he have red eyes? I spot a guard standing still next to the house I’m crashing in. That’s probably Zenix. On a whim, I pull out my sword, and fuss with the straps on my armor (yeah, I tried to put it on, it’s… a work in progress) before I touch him.

“Child!” he says. He sounds like a child himself.

“Me?” I respond. Honestly, it doesn’t take long to pick a dialogue option when there’s only one.

“Yes, you! I need to have a word with you!”

“Okay…” I should be able to keep the conversation smooth.

“You’ve just arrived in town, haven’t you. Garroth and I have seen you around, and we’ve taken note of your hard work here- even though you’ve just arrived, you… have done a great deal of service for our town. Thank you”

“No problem- but I really did it for myself.”

“Ah- yeah… You’ll grow, I’m sure. In any case, I just wanted to warn you that if you keep doing things like this, you might be seen as a ‘Lord’ to this village, and that title, these days, has… consequences. A kid like you shouldn’t be getting mixed up in all this.”

“What?”

“Nevermind. Just know that if you keep helping villages, the world will start moving in ways it normally should not- and that isn’t always a good thing. I take my leave now. I’ve already said too much.”

What the fuck. Cryptic! And by that I mean the literal definition- he’s hiding something about this world moving shit. Well, Garroth had something he wanted to say to me, right? I’ll go see if he has more to say.

“You’ve talked to Zenix, I suppose?”

“Yeah…”

“I see… he told you about the world ‘moving’.”

“What does that mean?” Seriously, I wanna know.

“I’m not supposed to break any walls here,” (like the fourth wall?) “but… I want things to start changing again. The more you do for villages, the more things in the world will start to change. Events might happen around the things you build, although it may take some time… people in the world will become more ‘aware’- and that doesn’t always attract positive attention.”

“So like you two… tell me more!”

“I cannot. If you want answers… go to the previous ‘Lord’s’ home. It is located in the forest clearing northeast of here… for now that is all I can say.”

I guess I got a quest! I don’t know where north east is here, but I think I know where it is relative to the hill.

“By the way… what’s your name?” Garroth voice reaches me from where I was halfway down the ladder. My stupid, sleep-deprived ass answered with the first word that came to mind; “Dallas.”

What the fuck am I, Texan?! I thought as I fled in embarrassment.

Oh, it’s all burned downed. There is even ‘ashes’! No wonder someone got away with arson! When I build my house, it’s gonna be where I can see the village- and they can see me. There’s a crib, which is cute, and a book on a desk, which is what I am more concerned about.

‘Day 1:  
Just arrived in a regular Minecraft village. These villagers are special though, I can date them!”

A regular Minecraft village, huh? Looks like this guy is a player character, too.

‘Day 2:  
The villager Matilda likes me a lot! I think I’m going to try to talk to her more…  
Day 3:  
Matilda and one of the guards are acting ‘different’... in a good way! This is kind of cool.’  
The next few pages are ripped out. The next one seems to be page 26.  
‘Day 26:  
Why..? This is my world. Not-‘


	3. In which an attack occurs, and I acquire a hamster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY I FIGURED IT OUT!

I wake to see night has fallen. My head hurts, and my helmet lies on the floor in front of me. Ugh, my own crap job did me in! The top strap must’ve slipped, and the weight must’ve caused my head to slam into the desk, hard. (Then why does the back of my head hurt?)

The diary is gone. (Wasn’t there a cutscene in this house?) It didn’t say much, so not much of a loss. I’m taking the desk though- it’s cool! Time to scurry back to the village.

Zenix is waiting for me when I clear the tree line. “Are you okay? A kid like you shouldn’t be out so late… did you find anything? ...Actually, you look tired. Go get some rest we’ll talk about it later.” 

I mean I just slept.. but go off, I guess. Let’s talk to Garroth! 

When I find him, he’s not alone. There’s a… well, I don’t want to call it dancing, so… bouncing man dressed in an orange robe and with… bandages wrapped around his extremities. Garroth is staring at him. Wasn’t this the guy who… came here with a man named… Vizer? Fisher? Vischer! Who died because one of the shadow knights blew up the boat. Then his wife… what’s her name? Fucking hated Aphmau for being the one to bring back his body. And their son helped with the Lord of Bright Port Arc.

He’s the guy with the Pam’s Harvest Craft stuff! I tap him.

“Name is Paul! I’m a farmer who’s come a long ways from home just to sell my crops! Sorry prices are high, but I need to get home AND feed my family.” Can’t he just feed them with the produce that he farms?

“Geez!” This isn’t giving me much in the way of choices.

“Garroth here is a nice fellow! He’s already bought enough to pay for my trip home and feed my family… but don’t let that stop you from buying more!”

“Let me see the goods!” A rice seed… a strawberry seed… and an orange sapling… each cost one diamond block. I DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE DIAMOND!

I turn to Garroth. “Paul came here from a far away village that seems to be more advanced than ours. He’s a farmer looking to sell his goods.”

“Yeah, but they’re pricey!” I complained. Also, if Garroth had three diamond blocks… why is he wearing iron armor?

“...I know, but I had some currency. Could you hold out your hand?”

A grey rectangle pops up:

Seeds for the Future

I didn’t have much use for the currency I had, and even if I did want to use it on myself, it would be used so I could improve this village. I can’t do much, but you can. Put these seeds to good use for me.

<Complete>

So the strawberries and the rice go to the circle homes. I’ve actually put two other farmers I found in the homes. I built the homes close enough together that they share a wall, so I knocked down a portion of it and installed doors in between them. It’s fine, they’re all girls anyways. I can’t WAIT to eat some fruit. Trust me, you don’t know hell until you’ve eaten twenty raw potatoes and twelve raw carrots in less than two days.

As I was cleaning out my inventory, I noticed I still had that dog token thing maybe I should get a dog. It could help me in fights! So... how do I use this thing?

I throw it at the floor, like a pokéball, and lo and behold, it fucking works. Now. I need a stick to name them and stuff… a bowl to feed them… they eat raw chicken and shit, right? And I think I saw doggy treats when I was exploring the crafting recipes.

I name them Cat. Hey, if I’m not gonna be called my name, I can at least have my pet called my nickname! Their collar is yellow, and I give them the ‘Pack Puppy’ talent because carrying up to three items sound useful as shit. Now I need to get them some raw chicken.

About three days later, I’ve got a bed, a diamond helmet and sword (because I was fucking tired of wearing a welders mask) and have started to build my house. If building mansions in creative mode has taught me anything, it’s that rectangle houses are bor~ing! So I’ll do like a rectangle but the middle is shifted a few blocks forward. That way I can have a balcony and shit. And since I’m building it on the same hill Aphmau‘s house was on, I can have a big basement instead of making it tall. That’ll make it much more cohesive with the village in the long run.

Hmm… the house is too small to have a section that juts inward… but if I put the stairs to the basement outside, so the blueprint is symmetrical, I’ll still have a place to put a balcony. Actually, I really like the vibe that Aphmau‘s house had going on after the shadow knight attack, so maybe, instead of a roof, I could have a rooftop balcony. Yeah, with the fences, and the fairy lights… speaking of which, I’m going to have to kidnap those water villages if I want Zoey to show up. If I remember right, she has more narrative importance than just her wondrous decor.

I kinda want the stairs and the roof trimming to be made of sandstone… which’ll look really nice, especially if I make the walls out of birch and the roof out of oak… the floor can be made of a checkered pattern of birch and oak. But gathering sandstone from the ocean is such an ordeal. I have to drain the water, mine it, than refill it… but I’ll need the sand anyway. Ugh, I just don’t want to get wet! I have to figure out how to shower in minecraft too. Maybe I can make one of the sections a bathroom, and then across from it will be my room… which works out if I put storage in the basement. And when the kid comes I can put his playroom down in the basement, too, but I think I’ll like him sleeping with me. And I can’t forget to make the bottommost block of the house stone bricks, and put ‘support’ beams of oak logs in the corners.

The house looks good enough, but it’s more important that I have 1) a place of my own, and 2) a bed. Now that I’ve spent the last few days working on gathering raw resources and building my house, I think I should go out to see what’s up. I mean, I was in village when I was moving my shit, but that’s it. Also, Cat has been a delight! If I close my eyes when I pet them, I can experience the softness of their fur without the trippiness of petting pixel art.

I encounter Zenix first.

“Just keeping an eye on Paul, he’s new in town and although I’d like to think he’s nice folk… I just don’t trust anyone, ya know? Kind of how I was raised.”

“I can understand that.” I really can.

“Thanks. By the way, what did you find the other day?”

<Tell him everything.> is the only option, so I do so. 

“Well, there was a cute little baby crib, and a desk. The house burnt down, right? It was pretty obvious. Anyway, I almost read the whole journal on the desk, because there were only really five pages- the other twenty one were ripped out. But then I ended up knocking myself out on the edge of the desk. When I woke up, the journal was gone.”

“The old Lord’s Journal…? Pages were ripped out…? Then you got knocked out…? Hm, I’ll investigate the area on my next. Thanks for the information, Lady Dallas.”

“I’m not-” but the text promoter had already faded away. I sigh. How could a guy as nice as him do… what? What does he do??

I find Paul on top of the wheat houses. 

“I’m all sold out of goods, some mysterious looking fellows came and bought me out! Just taking in a few sites before I head to the docks and back on home!”

The docks? Oh right, the docks! The ones that Brennan- Brendon- B-something the farmer built. I had put him in one of the wheat houses. On my way there, I encountered Garroth.

“Lord Dallas, you’ll be pleased to hear that one of the villagers has spent some time developing the land for trade routes just east of here. I’ve already given him my thanks, but I think you should go take a look at his work.” 

“I’m doing that!” I replied cheerily. After all, I just harvested some strawberries and let me tell you, they tasted like ambrosia.

Ah, his name was Brenden.

“Whew! This dock took a while to make…”

“You made this!?” I internally wince at the words, not only because I know how unintentionally patronizing they are, but also because he’s holding a shovel.

“Yeah, I made this dock, since we were running low on supplies back in the village, I figured opening a dock for ships to land would open up a few trades with the local villages.”

“One more thing… you can talk now?” Yeah, what’s up with that? I haven’t interacted with him much… or at all.

“What? I’ve always been able to talk. You’re silly, m’lord!”

I talked to Vischer next. After all, he was gonna get blown up soon.

“Aye! I be sailing this beaut’ of a ship booth ‘ere! Came ‘ere from a village much like yours with a passenger named Paul, local farmer back home. Just a’waitin’ on Paul to get back so’s we can set sail.”

“Huh. Would you consider sleeping in one of our houses if you are staying overnight?” I asked, instead of ‘can I come with.’ I already know he’s gonna say no. Predictably, he doesn’t respond.

“You selling anything?” I’ve got some gold to spare, and I want lobsters for eating and shark teeth for a net. I want some variety in my diet, dammit!

I went to sleep that night, in my _bed_!! But my restful sleep was interrupted by an explosion. I haphazardly strap my armor on and rush down to the docks, to see a shadow figure rushing away. Out of the corner of my user movement. I turn just in time to see a player with white hair jump off a tree. That must be them… Sasha and… Gale?

Nevermind, I need to get Garroth or Zenix.

“Lady Dallas!” I hear, and I turn to see Zenix making his way down the hill, followed by Garroth. “Are you okay?!”

“Yeah… but..” 

“Someone blew up the docks.” Garroth completed. Wow, I didn’t even know someone could have a three-way conversation in the text prompter.

“I’ll go get Paul,” I offer. I think that was the first time I’ve had multiple options. Though none of them let me tell the guards about the people I saw.

By the time that I’ve returned with Paul in tow, dawn is already breaking. 

“Alright. No one knows about this except for us four, and I’d like to keep it that way to prevent panic. Zenix, you stay here to clean up and scout. Paul, please don’t tell anyone- we’ll get you home soon. Lord Dallas-a word.” Garroth commands.

“Y’know… it’s weird. I was set to do my patrol here in an hour before… this happened,” Zenix commented.

“Are you okay, Zenix?” I inquired.

“I… I seem to recall an event in my life, something that happened that was… or at least FELT like this, once before… somewhere… You should go see what Garroth wants.” I purse my lips, troubled. I know the people here forgot most everything about the previous lord, even his name, or the fact that he had a family, but the idea that Zenix was experiencing dejá vu about this event was… Well, I don’t want my reign to be a repeat of the last one. Especially because the last lord seemed to be a player- he referred to this as a _minecraft_ village… I wish he were alive so I could talk to him about that.

I can faintly hear soft sobbing, and turn my concern to Paul. 

“Th-This is horrible… absolutely HORRIBLE! I don’t even… Vischer is-was my best friend, and he went out of his way to help me out and bring me here to sell food for my family. Now this… now this… I just… please, let me be. I just need some time.”

I make what I hope is a comforting face at Paul, then turned away to go find where Garroth had run off to. I find him by the library, overlooking the village.

“I’m glad you came so quickly. The explosion that happened at the docks, Vischer… please don’t tell anyone in this village about it.

“Why not? Don’t they deserve to know what’s happening in their hometown?”

“It’s a HUGE issue, an issue that a small village cannot deal with. Vischer was a wonderful man, I’m sure. We will honor him where he fell, but the docks were not something we were expecting to happen, but they did. And as quickly as they were constructed, they were taken away. In short, no one in town even knew we had a dock. It’s just something we can work towards later.”

“Ok...ay. So is this why you wanted to speak with me?”

“No. We have an issue. We need to get Paul and Vischers body back home. Now, normally I wouldn’t ask this of a child, but with an attack on our own soil, we need all the guards we can get in village. So, please, I ask of you. Reconstruct Vischers sea vessel or at least a new one… just something to get Paul back home. You need not do it, but I ask. I’ll leave the choice in your hands. If you can make it happen, I know a way we can make it sail… possibly with you aboard.”

This isn’t even a choice. Not only because Paul needs to get home, but because I want the boat and golden lasso that comes during this quest. Now, I should inform Brenden about the dock, so he can rebuild it. I won’t tell him about Vischer, though, like Garroth asked. However, Brenden was the one that built the docks, so he knows that they’re there. Or were there. Now, to build a boat!

I had built an actual boat structure, considered it, then moved it down one block so the hull was resting in the water. I worked long into the night, fixing little details, and trying to get it looking… boat like. None of that raft nonsense. And I’ll make sure not to lose it, unlike Aphmau. Plus, staying up gave me a chance to practice fighting against mobs.

Y’know, arrows work weird. When a skeleton shoots me, it’s still a minecraft arrow, so it’s only because of pure force that it lodged itself into me when it strikes bare skin. I made a mental to craft diamond leggings after multiple arrows stuck in my legs. But anyways, after it hits me, it transforms into a real arrow. And with only the tip really lodged in me, they just fall out onto the ground. The wound it leaves looks like a paper cut.

Anyways, afterwards, I was walking around, and I found HAMSTERS!! By the well. Unfortunately they belonged to Kiki, so I talked to her first.

“Hi! My name is Kiki! Well, that’s not my real name. It’s just what everyone calls me due to my laugh. Kekeke!”

“Ah, so… are you new in town?” What I really wanted to say is that her laughter sounded like birdsong… and not in a good way. But, that’s what the text prompter said.

“I sure am! My brother is Brenden. He told me about this dock he built and how it was blown up… it broke my heart. I thought it was sad… not just for him, but for everyone. So, I brought some hamsters to bring some smiles!”

“You brought hamsters! _Can I have one?!_ ” 

“Of course! I raise animals and give them to new owners. No charge, I just love animals! Kekeke! This season I had a batch of hamsters. Gave one to Brenden before he went off. So help yourself! But please, just take one. There’s also hamster food and paper in the chest. Hamsters will ride on your head with paper in your hand. Kekeke!” 

Awww yesss! I look at Zenix, who’s standing right next to me. 

“Are you getting one?”

“What strange, adorable creatures…” he said.

“Cat, you’re gonna have a _hamster brother_ ,” I tell him seriously. “It’ll be… this one”

I scoop up one with a black pelt and blue eyes. For pixel art, it’s sooo cute! I stride over to the chest, and take a piece of paper out. While I’m holding it, the little guy climbs up my shoulder and onto my head.

“I think… you’re gonna be my new hat. You’ll be… Mark Fischbach,” I tell him, as I feed him pieces of hamster food. As I make my way back to my house, I see Paul.

“Hey buddy, how’re you doing?” I say, tapping him on the shoulder.

“I still feel ill, but I’ll manage. Right now the only thing I need to worry about is telling Vischers wife. ...Suddenly, I feel a lot worse.” He says.

<Cheer him up> “I’m sure she’ll be able to understand that it’s not your fault. She won’t blame you.”

“Aye, thanks. By the way, thanks for building that boat. Garroth said you’d be doing it. That really... makes me feel better. Thank you.”

“No problem!” As I head up the hill, I reflect that I really should put in some stairs. I don’t like having to hardcore parkour up to my own home.

As I place Fischbach in my bedroom, I notice that the docks are back. I run down there, and over to where Brenden is lying in the sand, audibly catching his breath.

“Docks… DONE… AGAIN.”

“Heeeey buddy. Good job!” Maybe with positive reinforcement, he’ll become a carpenter instead of a farmer. And build more stuff.

“NEED. TO… POOP.” Okay then. I pet his hamster- Cuddlezilla is _such_ a cute name, despite the fact the Godzilla movies probably, no, definitely don’t exist here, and then head over to Garroth.

“I’m having an item delivered here for the boat. It should be here tomorrow and you can set sail then. Thank you for doing this. This means the world to me and Paul, I’m sure.” 

Alright. So. I can work on my basement, sort my items that I have down there, or… mine. Alright, what color am I gonna make the basement floor? I could do oak, after all, I did that for the roof and fences on the roof.


	4. In which I leave Phoenix Drop, and get a hug from Zenix.

When I emerge, it’s midday the next day. The orange tree had grown, so I plucked a few and enjoy their citrusy goodness.

I see Garroth and Zenix down on the dock, standing over by my boat. Let’s go see what they want. 

“M’lady! Your boat… it’s good! It’s a good boat!” Zenix says when I poke him. Well, I don’t see anything wrong with it! Perhaps Garroth will like it more.

“You’ve certainly put effort into the boat… Regardless, I’m glad you did this. Now, you’ll be taking Paul as well as Vischers remains to Bright Port, it’s east of here. One more thing… Paul is in no state to deliver Vischers remains to his wife. I’ve spoken with him and although he did not ask me, it would be great if you could deliver Vischer in his stead.” 

I purse my lips. Vischers wife… Melinda? Anyways, his wife could be very valuable in the Lord of Bright Port Arc, for information, and without her angry at me, I wouldn’t have to sneak behind her back to talk to her son. But… the ‘yes’ option is green… it’s the right thing to do… ahhhhhh, I don’t want her to yell at me though!

S… shu… “Uh, sure.” I say quickly before I can lose my nerve.

“Many blessings to you, Dallas. I will remember your kindness. Speak with me when you are ready to depart.

Nice Boat

Here, this will help you pilot the ship. I had it imported yesterday. Here are Paul and Vischer. It’s weird- don’t question it.

<Complete>

Nice, I’ve got everything I wanted. The golden lasso and the boat. Now I just need to drop Paul and Vischer at Bright Port. I should really craft a compass, but I’m pretty sure I remember it’s just past those cliffs over there. I stride over to the boat, and place the ship's helm at the… helm. I feel… like I’m forgetting something. 

I checked the chest I had put on the back of the boat. A key…oh right, the key! That’s to the basement in the lord's house! And… the quiet rouge… green eyes… what’s his fucking name… whatever-  _ that guy _ put it in there! Alright, now, to sail!

Right now it’s just a block with a wheel painted on it, but when I touch my hands to it, it springs to life. 

**Ship**

Not assembled

Unknown type

0

0 (0%)

0

0.0 kg

I’ll rename it… Aphmau. After all, it is her world. I’m just paying tribute! It’s not that I can’t think of any good names…

Let’s just assemble it. That’s good. Mount!

The wheel springs out of the helm, and I grasp the smooth wood in both hands. And away! Simply turning the wheel seems to make the ship start moving, which is great, because I’ve basically forgotten how to sail a boat. Also, I don’t think there are any ropes on this thing even if I did. It’s fast- like a car. With it I get there in minutes.

I jump off the boat, and watch as it continues sailing into the side of the cliff. It appears you need to turn to slow down… like skiing and skating. Now, how do I get Paul out of the lasso?

When the rope makes contact with the floor, it seems to shine brightly. On a whim, I drag the rope upward, like I was blowing a huge bubble. Paul was slowly unveiled as I did so, and as soon as I had gotten it over his head (a feat, let me tell you), he began walking away. 

“Hey- Hey, where are you going? I yell after him, jogging up the steps. He stops just in front of the gate, and abruptly turns around.

“Thank you, Dallas, for bringing us back home… Now, I’ll be taking Vischer to his… wife.”

“Don’t worry, I’m taking him,” I mutter.

“... R-Really? Thank you, thank you so much. I… I don’t know if I could look Vischers wife in the eye right now. Poor woman. I’ll be sure to speak with her after you… I just can’t do this right now. Thank you so much.” I purse my lips. Why’s he gotta make me feel like this is a good thing to do?

Ugh. I think I remember where she lives… yup, I’m pretty sure that's Vischers wife. At least I didn’t have to remember her name…

“Good evening! Make yourself at home, how may I help you?” Aaagh, I feel so bad.

<Deliver the body>

“......... W-what? no… No NO THIS CAN’T… this can’t be. who- WHO DID THIS!? I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!”

“We-we don’t know yet, but I assure you, ma’am, that we have our best men in the case.” The fact that we only have two men goes unsaid, of course.

“..... WHEN YOU FIND OUT, YOU MAKE THEM  **PAY** . I- I just… please, leave him here and let us be in peace for a while. Please go.” I nodded tightly.

I make my way through town. I might as well take a look while I’m here, right? I meet Azura, who informs me that the Lord of Bright Port Arc is in the near future, and then I nab myself an abandoned house. Time to go home!

Garroth was waiting for me on the dock.

“Lord Dallas, some disturbing news has come from a messenger of Bright Port”

“What happened?”

“Apparently the Lord of Bright Port has gone missing. Many of the guards were dispatched to find him, but as of right now, he hasn’t been found. The most disturbing thing about this news? It has been brought to my attention that many lords across the land have gone missing been killed, or have stepped down from their positions… only to be found dead days later.” I suck in a breath through my teeth. He’s missing because he’s in the Nether.

“Okay… so how does this concern me?”

“M'lord… many of the villagers, especially Zenix consider you to be the ‘Lord’ of our home since you have done so much already- without even being asked- to improve it. I’ve asked all the villagers to refrain from giving you an official title for the time being. I’ve dispatched Zenix to the prior Lord’s home to demolish it. I feel guilty, but I have a reason to believe the fire that occurred there was by no means an accident.”

“So… what now?”

“Right now, let’s focus on your safety. I have to send a few messages out, but for the time being please stay in town. We'll talk more when I know more. Perhaps, I should give you some formal training in case… never mind.” Alright, that’s the end of that conversation. Time for sleep… I haven’t slept in what… two days? And one of my window panes is missing. Great. Wait, wasn’t there a cutscene where Sasha splashed potions on Aphmau’s hamster? Does Mark look a bit bigger? Nah. Y’know, looking over there, I should probably check on Zenix before I go to bed.

I find him gazing at the ruins of the house while Brenden scurries around. Hey! Maybe he’ll have that carpenter title yet!

“Zenix?”

“This is disturbing. It seems someone has been camping out here… but who would do such a thing? Garroth is not gonna like this one bit.” There’s a campfire and the crates seem to be full of… potions of poison. And a singular empty bottle. It must’ve been Sasha. As I turn to leave, I happen to brush by Zenix.

“Are you alright, m’lady? You look really tired… you know what? Brenden, will you be okay here for a bit on your own?”

“.... sure,” Brenden replies.

“Right. Dallas, I’m taking you home.” And with this, he picks me up. He’s all hard angles and sharp edges, but… it’s nice. It’s the first human contact I’ve had in days… how could someone so nice… be a… shadow…. Knight.


	5. In which secrets are discovered, and a friend gets shot.

I wake up late into the day. I think I have some free time before the Lord of Bright Port Arc, so I could... bring all those villagers here, to Phoenix Drop, or instead, I could marry some of the villagers and make them have babies. Let’s see… six iron and two cakes versus hours spent corralling NPCs. I’ll get my iron and sugarcane.

The first two villagers to cross my path are Molly the Farmer and Dale the Guard. Arranger rings, and cakes! Yay, they’re happy! Now what… I could make a plaza! Yeah! Building!

That’s done… I could make a public entrance with stairs into the mine… yeah!

And then I could sort out my storage system! Literally anything else than transporting all those villagers!

By the time I’m done with all my menial chores, the sun has risen once again, and I’ve decided to just walk around to enjoy the fruits of my labors. I’ve only been awake like, ten hours.

In the plaza, there’s someone new. Ethan, his nametag declares.

“Good morning, child! Allow me to kiss your hand?”

<Reject him.> “haha that’s creepy.”

“I see, a serious lassie, then. Might you tell me where I can find the lord of this village?”

I transfer my bottle of water to my hand, just to take a sloooow sip while I look him in the eyes.

“You’re looking at them,” I say.

“Now, now, don’t jest! Would you tell him that I, Ethan, want to speak with him?”

“You just told them yourself. I wasn’t joking.”

“Okay then… My name is Ethan, proprietor of the merchant’s guild. I’ve come to this town because it’s just earned a place on my map! A map I share with the world for merchants everywhere to spread their wealth… and my dear have I got the deal of a lifetime for you!”

I should just tell him to get out of here for being so damn disrespectful, but… “I’m listening.”

“Honesty is my best quality, and let me tell you, I’m really just a middleman. I scout out a villages, find out what they need, and send over a merchant who happens to sell those goods. I get a fee for information, you see. Whether or not the merchant sticks around here is none of my business- that’s between you and them. However, this place is  _ perfect _ for a plaza, what say you? Are you interested in a certain kind of merchant? If so I can tell you what you’d need to build for them to take interest in possibly setting up shop here. Tell me what you’re looking for.” Oooh, logically I should go with magic items, but at this point I’d  _ kill _ for even some butter. Or jam. Or maybe even cheese. It’s pointless to argue with myself.

“Foodstuffs,” I say firmly.

“Food items, eh? That’s a… good choice, yes. You’re… thinking of your people first! Now, for a food merchant to come, you’re going to need a stand with three furnaces and a cutting board. Make a nice stand for them and I can send word to see if any merchants are interested in this place- I can only send one merchant a week, so it will be a while before I come back to the town. Are you sure you want a food merchant?”

“Yes.”

“Great speak with me when you’re done with your stand!” This’ll be easy. But first, what’s with these sheep? …can I take some of their wool?

Now what… let’s go check on Zenix!

“Some news, m’lady… during our demolition we have uncovered a cellar beneath the house. The problem is that it’s locked and we haven’t had a key to get inside. I’m going to report this to Garroth and see what our options are.”

Hmm… an iron door… I can break it down… or I can open it WITH MY KEY!! YES!

It’s all dark… either coal blocks or obsidian. No matter- there another book!

‘My name is Malik, and if you’re reading this then I must be gone. I don’t know what gone means, I might be dead or rotting in a cellar. I was the Lord of this village I called it Phoenix Drop. I only hope the new lord takes into account the feelings of the local villagers.. if they even will remember me. My wife and I are planning on leaving tonight it’s shameful but the safety of my family comes first. I leave my journal here for the convenience of anyone to find just know that if you take responsibility for a village the king will come after you like he did me. He’ll send his knights of shadow after you first-’ There was a long scratch left down the rest of the page, like the author left in a hurry.

There’s a chest next to it, with a crown and monarch robes in it… I’ll take them so no one else finds them. I climb up the stairs, but neither Zenix nor Brenden were waiting. Odd. The sky shows much more time has passed than I’d thought. Well, time to go home, I guess… 

  
  


Donna was waiting for me outside of my home. I swallow as a chill suddenly rushes up my spine.

“Garroth sent me here. It seems there’s an issue in town that needs your immediate attention. They’re waiting for you in the farm house.”

“You’re… able to talk to me?”

“What do you mean? I’ve always been able to talk to you. Now go, they’re waiting.”

I don’t know which one is the farmhouse, but I do know injured people are in the house closest to me. 

I open the door the see both guards, Kiki, and Brenden, though Brenden is lying on some wool and panting heavily.

“Garroth?”

“By the umbral hells! Brenden has been attacked and he’s in terrible shape… the arrow pierced his chest and we have no idea where the bleeding is coming from. Dallas, your help is required. We need to get Brenden a special herb from Bright Port- I’ve already sent word to Paul via Raven, there should be a doctor waiting for you. Please get this herb before sundown or… I don’t know if we’ll be able to save him…”

“Garroth, what the FUCK happened?!”

“No time to explain- GO!” He physically pushed me, and it got me moving. As I clambered over dirt blocks, I cursed myself for not installing stairs. It’s almost sundown already. And- how did I not hear anything? I was right there! As I was rushing down the slope, I ended up tripping, and I fell all the way down the hill.

“shIT CUNT MOTHERFUCKIN DICK OW OW OW!!!” I screamed into the sand. I think the fall hurt me more than anything else while I’ve been in the Minecraft Diaries. I tripped over myself again getting up and running again, and when I jumped onto the boat, I peeled out of there faster than Mom got out of our house when my parents broke up. 

“Fuck fuck why can’t you go faster!!” I complained, almost crashing into shit as I constantly kept one eye on the reddening sky. I jumped out of the boat and onto the dock instead of trying to park my boat.

“Dr.Doctor! We need that herb!” I screamed, heedless of the fact he can’t hear me.

“Paul told me everything- take the contents of my chest and go, quickly!” He said, handing me an egg.

“What the fuck?” I muttered as I took the satchel, and leapt onto my boat. I made it just as the sun touched the horizon.

“GARROTH!!” I screamed, busting into the house, “I GOT THE HERB!!!”

We Need Time

Many thanks to you, Dallas. By no means does this herb have any miracle powers… it’s simply used to slow the bleeding. I still need time to work with Brenden, but he should be easier to treat now. Take this. I know you’ll put it to wonderful use. Now leave me be to my work.

<Complete>

Holy crap, diamonds! I hope Kiki isn’t taking this too hard- after all, he is her brother.

“Brenden! No… will he be okay? Will my brother be okay?!”

<Tell her about the herb.>“Yes, we got him an herb to slow the bleeding, and he should wake up in a day or two. Garroth is taking care of him.”

“....Really? Garroth really is amazing. I’ll be here by my brothers side- please make sure my animals are okay. Thanks for this, Dallas.”

And Zenix… to see someone shot in front of you…

“It was terrible… Brenden and I were just about done for the night, and about to head back to town, when the next thing I know Brenden had an arrow through his chest.”

“Did you see who did this? A figure cloaked in black of a lady with white hair?”

“... how did you know? I bloody chased the bastard- but not for long, I had to get back to Brenden. But I saw the direction he took off in… it was west of the old Lords house. Funny thing is…”

“I saw them at the docks, after… anyways, what?”

“I don’t think Brenden was the one he was after… honestly it was by chance Brenden happened to be in front of me and then… this. It’s more devastating when you see it happen right before your eyes… the face of happiness turned to hurt… it’s terrifying. Regardless… I’ll be upping my patrols to put my sword through this- this- heathen. Heavens hope he never crosses my path again.”

“Perhaps he was after whatever was in that cellar. ...Should I go find this guy?” 

“No. I’ve already had someone get hurt, and I’m not letting a child get hurt next.” The book and crown feel like a physical weight in my inventory. I had closed the door to the cellar behind me… they won’t know. But why didn’t I tell him? ...And that was the red option…

I head to the plaza to check on the animals. I should really build a barn… oh my god, the merchant! I have the letter!

“Are the rumors true? Has this place been attacked by bandits..? One of the ladies at the local brothel said it was attacked by bandits shooting arrows. I’m not so sure I want to set up shop here…”

I’m honestly stuck between denying that there is a brothel and denying that there was a bandit attack. You know what? I just want something to go right right now.

“No one was attacked by bandits,” I said.

“But someone was attacked, yes?” He asked.

“No one was attacked inside the village,” I said.

“So someone from this village was attacked outside the village… what, two can play this game, little missy. I won’t set up shop until your Lord brings the person who was attacked whole and hale in front of me.” I sigh. I just want some soup or root beer or… anything!! It’s night now… I just want to rest.

Oh, and fucking Mark Fischbach is still fucking growing! He’s like the size of Cat! Uggggh… I collapse face-first onto the bed.

I wake the next morning, bleary-eyed and no more rested than I was the day before. This is really not new. I should go check on Brenden and Garroth…

“It took more out of me than I imagined, but Brenden will be able to make a good recovery. I don’t know if he’ll be able to do much for a while, but he’s in a good condition to begin the healing process. Zenix told me everything about the event… tomorrow Zenix and I will head out west in order to find this criminal. Right now I need to rest, I stayed up all night trying to help Brenden. I only hope to make whoever is responsible brought to justice.”

“Let me go with you!”

“NO! No, please, I beg of you. You’re of more help here in the village, and… I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if a child got hurt on my watch. You don’t have any training and… who would watch over the village if I… I ask of you, please remain here.”

“If you’re so worried about my safety, why don’t you give me that formal training you were talking about earlier?”

“Maybe... Maybe I will. When we come back. As long as you stay. In. The. Village.”

I sigh. Even if I wanted to rebut that, I couldn’t- the text prompter had disappeared. Maybe I could convince Zenix.

As I was looking around for said guard, I happened to run into Donna and Kiki, talking.

“Sorry Dallas, I looked into your house and I had to tell Kiki…” Donna said, not sounding sorry at all.

“Kiki?” I tap her.

“Dallas… Donna here tells me your hamster has grown incredibly large… did you not think to question this?”

“... Who, pray tell, do I question about a hamster as big as I am?! A magicks user?! You?!”

“Do you think I could come over tomorrow and take a look at your hamster? I’d like to take a look at it’s overall health- I’ve never heard of a hamster growing past the size of a dog.”

“Sure… sorry I snapped at you, I just… am a bit worried about him.”

“It’s fine. See you tomorrow morning! Kekeke!”

I sigh. She’s no potions user, but maybe… hey, there’s Zenix!

“Dallas… Garroth means for us… he and myself… to make way west to find the criminal responsible for the arrow in Brendens chest, but… I’m worried. This is the first time I’ve done something like this.”

“You got this!” I said, patting him.

“Thank you… however, could you possibly make me a bow and a few arrows? If the person we are dealing with is an archer, than I might want to try my hand at the skill before we head out.”

“Sure, but uh, why can’t you make your own?”

“...Just make me a bow and a few arrows. It should be enough to scare the villain off, and if I miss I could always pick the arrow up.”

It took a bit, but now I got this pet amulet. And… Zenix is kinda pathetic at archery… mmmmm. Now I’m going to go mining, because I’m running low on resources, and I have some free time. This is not because I’m in physical pain from watching Zenix attempt archery, no siree.

Now, I appreciate Kiki’s concern, but I already know what’s wrong with Mark Fischbach. However, by the time I had left the mines, sweaty, tired, and covered in coal dust, I had completely forgotten about the fact that she was coming over. Brenden still hasn’t woken, but I’m sure he’s doing better. It’s been… well, this is the third day? I’m sure he’ll be up soon! 

I had made my way up the hill, mentally screaming about all the climbing I had to do to just get up to the front door. Y’know, maybe I should’ve put the guard tower here and my house in the village. I opened the door, and there, in front of me, was Kiki. To say I was scared would be an understatement. I fucking jumped out of my skin when I saw her lifeless square eyes.

“Dallas, this is incredible! Mr. Mark Fischbach here looks like a giant! What kind of magic is this…? I don’t know what happened to him, but I do know he’s going to need a bigger living quarters. I’m going to examine him more, but you should really think about expanding your home or at least making a range for him. I wonder what’s going on with this little… er… big guy,” She said as I caught my breath. I stared at the NPC in her eyes as I took off my armor, and climbed down the ladder to my basement.

“And you better be gone when I come up!” I yelled. 

After I bathed, I felt very refreshed and awake, so I decided to check on everyone in the village. I haven’t gotten any other clothes yet… but if I make a bed, I can cut the bedsheets using shears, and use the tip of my sword to poke holes that I can thread string through. But you have to use a lot of string in order to make sure it’s secure. It’s not the most comfortable, but… I haven’t found any soap to wash my clothes with yet.

As I walked outside, I noticed Dale standing next to the library. That’s right, Zenix and Garroth went out today! That means the Lord of Bright Port Arc starts tomorrow… or today. 

“Hey, Dale!” I greeted the now sapient guard.

“Zenix and Garroth are out on patrol, and they intend on returning tomorrow. Garroth has left me in charge of the guard for the time being. He’s asked that I make sure you remain here and not follow them. Also, that I would start you on the beginnings of sword fighting. I’m no teacher… but I can give you a few pointers! Haha! It’ll be like practice for when I have to teach Brian! He’s so cute! He wants to be a guard, just like his old man.” Oh, sweet. I shouldn’t go to the Nether without at least the basics down…

Dale is not a good teacher… he was right about that. But I think I’ve got what he’s trying to tell me now… two hours later. The sun is low in the sky, so I think I’ll just do one route of the village and go home. 

I find Donna watching Logan shoot arrows.

Logan sure is good with a bow… I hope he stays. He’s kinda cute!” Oh boy… oh boooy.

“Out of my way, kiddo! Can’t you see I’m trying to impress this fine young woman here?  ...I wonder if she’ll let me take her on a date... ” Oh boy! Oh boy!! Not touching that! I’m in fact getting so far away from that I’m going to the water villages and kidnapping the villagers there! With my new shiny golden lasso! And my boat! Hhhhhhhhh!

Okay, so maybe I’ve kidnapped twenty or so villagers from their homes… and maybe I don’t really have a place for them to stay… but WHO CARES? They’re NPCs! They can’t object! Well, not like Garroth and Zenix and Donna can. It’s fine! 

“This is insane! The village population has boomed! What did you do to make this wonderful event happen?” Dale asked, when I accidentally brushed passed him while I was admiring my work.

“... they… were convinced to move here by my… seductive wiles!” I said, sweating.

“.. Seductive wiles, huh? Well, whatever you did, I’m glad you did it! This means that we can recruit more guards and I’ve already started doing just that! Hmm…” I breathed a sigh of relief, but tensed up again when I realized the conversation wasn’t over. 

“What’s… wrong?” I asked.

“...I’m worried about Zenix and Garroth. They haven’t been back since last night, and its weird for anyone here to do that. We report back by morning if it’s within our power. Something tells me something might have… happened? HOWEVER, I don’t want you going out! I made a promise to Garroth. Anyway, shouldn’t you be attending to the new villagers? Make sure they’re happy so they’ll stay! Har har har!” I grimace at the innuendo, but I think living in a village with a lord in it will make them more happy than never being able to get into their houses.

Logan still hasn’t set up shop… but she’s here! Beautiful, long blond hair, an intricately stiched blouse made of leaves, and large pointy ears… Zoey’s here, and with her come those sexy, sexy fairy lights! The fence poles on my house have just been  _ begging _ for decorations- specifically, the fairy lights only Zoey can provide. Oh, I guess I could craft them myself… but why would I do that when I’d only have to pay one diamond for them!

“Hm? Hi! My name is Zoey, I’m a fairy that used to inhabit the village you took all those people from.”

“Hey! I kidnapped these people fair and square!”

“... I guess you did! It’s probably for the best anyway. People from my village will start to come to life, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Anyway! I sell decorations! It’s always been a hobby of mine to make these! They’re not cheap, though, since they’re infused with fairy magic. Would you like to buy some?”

“Show me tha goods!!” I had come prepared. I had calculated just how many fairy lights I needed and then brought enough for three more. I almost lost these diamonds to despawning, but I managed to get there in time, so no biggie.

The only thing that could ruin my good mood was noticing Kiki has stolen Mark Fishbach away so I couldn’t cuddle him anymore. So, naturally, I did just that.

“Good afternoon, Dallas! I’m sorry if you got scared that your lovely hamster wasn’t home… I took him out of there before he could get any bigger and put him in here for the time being.”

“Why would you do that!?” I questioned.

“I didn’t want him becoming too big for your house. I can take him back if it bothers you, but I figured it would be on his best interest. Besides! I’ve brought a few hamsters from a local village to be his friends! At least until someone adopts them. I’m sure someone will, seeing as many people have decided to make our village their home! Kekeke!” I pouted. It’s not my fault that I didn’t have time to build Mark a pen, in between kidnapping the villagers, building them new houses to set their spawn points in, and sword ‘training’ with Dale. Besides, I have a golden lasso! I can just use that to take him out.

I accidentally brush Logan as I begin to sulk off, and hear something that turns my vision red.

“By the heavens! This creature is HUGE! Hm… I wonder what he tastes like, I’m sure people would pay a fortune for such exotic meats.”

“YOU BETTER NOT EAT MY FUCKING HAMSTER!!” I scream.

“Oh! What? This is YOUR hamster? Heh, I was just joking. Always in for a good laugh, heh.”

I storm off to my home, my good mood thoroughly ruined. But just before I parkour my way up to my house. I stop. And turn. I haven’t checked on Brenden yet, and it’s been two days. He should be waking up by now.

*He’s starting to wake up!* I was right!

“Ugh… wha? Ugh, my chest hurts like a biiiii- heh, heh, Lord Dallas, didn’t see you there!” 

“Good morning, Brenden. Er- afternoon. You, um. Well. The reason your chest hurts so much is that you took an arrow to it.”

“Oh. That- um. Seems. Right?… well, Zenix and I were getting ready to leave... and then he… pulled me? in front of him? And then… well, I must’ve passed out. Sorry… I’m just so tired… I…” He’s asleep. I suck in my cheeks, considering. Zenix and Garroth aren’t back yet. And those two accounts… don’t match up. I- no, no. Zenix is a nice guy. He’d- it was probably just a natural reaction to seeing something out of the corner of his eye, he probably meant to pull Brenden behind him.

Well, I’ll need something to keep me occupied while I wait for them to come back. How about finally making that staircase up to my house? 

Unfortunately, that had to be put on hold, as I needed to get more stone. But as I was walking to the mine, I spotted someone standing just outside of town. Suddenly, even in this nice balmy weather and thick armor, I feel quite cold. It’s the quiet rouge. And he’s acting like a player.

_ Garroth _ … Something’s happened to him, I know it. I begin to race towards him. With a flick of his golden lasso, he unveils Garroths still body.

“Hey!” I shout, but he’s already sprinting into the tree line. I give up pursuit of him in favor of checking over Garroth. Not quite sure what I’m looking for, but he’s alive, I know it. Looks like I’m not gonna be able to interrogate Zenix yet. 


	6. In which I embark on my second quest, and get attacked by both a werewolf and a werewolf-adjacent woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading this and leaving a comment -each one makes me smile! I'm trying to update on Saturdays, at least during the summer, so feel free to yell at me if it's Sunday and I have yet to update.

I hope Brenden doesn’t mind sleeping somewhere else. He seems pretty out of it, so he’s just sitting by the wall. I trip over my feet in my haste to get to Bright Port. When Brenden was brought back, Garroth said he would die if the bleeding wasn’t stemmed in a day. If the Doctor can’t… no, he’ll live.

The boat ride there is short, but I can’t seem to find the doctor. I’m driven to new levels of panic as each house reveals just more mindless villagers.

“Please, please please…” I mutter under my breath, running on the poorly maintained road.

_ Crash! _ I cough the dust out of my face and brush myself off as I stand up. Being frantic won’t help me, it’ll just make me sloppy. I might’ve already-

“Miss, are you okay?” It’s him.

“Doctor, I need you to come with me to Phoenix Drop, right now.”

“Is everything alright? Is Brenden-“

“No time. Just get in the lasso.” I snap.

It seems the boat ride back is too long, but I hope Garroth is still alright. I hope he’s not angry with me for breaking my promise…

“I’ve brought the doctor!” I scream as I slam open the door. A flick of my wrist puts the doctor right next to Garroth, and I collapse. Now the doctor can take care of him. Brenden’s up now, and he brought Kiki and Dale.

“Well… it looks bad. Very bad. It seems to be the same wound Garroth had described Brenden having. Only… I don’t have and more citrus herbs to administer to Garroth.” I thump my head against the wall and groan. “It pains me to say that it’ll only be a matter of time before… he passes.”

“No.” The low authoritative tone rips out of my throat. He’ll be okay, because I’ll make him okay. He still has stuff to do. And… he’s been unbelievably kind, accommodating a total stranger while they renovated the village without his consent. It would be a poor way to pay him back by just… giving up on him. “There’s another way. There has to be. I could find more of the herb- or, isn’t your Lord skilled in healing magicks? If I find him…”

“... he’s been missing for more than a week now. But… you’re right. If there is any hope of healing Garroth, it would be through the healing magicks of the Lord of Bright Port.” And thus begins the Lord of Bright Port Arc.

“I’m sorry, Garroth. I have to break my promise. But I know you’ll understand. You’d do the same,” I murmur to him. “I’ll see y’all in a bit.”

“Be careful. Things there have been hectic as of late. A tribe of local werewolves have been spotted around the village, and the possibility of war between the humans and wolves of Bright Port is on the rise. With the Lord out of town, I don’t know what the future of Bright Port holds.”

“Thank you,” I say, pausing in the doorway.

“Wait! You’ll need this!” Kiki presses a worn rabbit doll into my hands.  _ It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this, you’ll need it for the quest ahead. _ I snort quietly, knowing no one here would get the reference.

“Thank you,” I say. “I’ll be out now. Dale, you’ll be in charge.”

I need to find the Lord before it’s too late for Garroth.

It’s better to visit other villages when I’m not panicking so much. I noticed the blonde chick that I ran by earlier. I figure it’s more polite to check in with the guy, or gal, if that’s what she prefers, that’s currently running the show. What’s her name… Azure, or something.

“You must be Garroths friend. Is everything okay? You rushed by in such a hurry earlier…”

“Garroth’s been shot and if I can’t find y’alls Lord in time, then he’s… sorry, that probably wasn’t the most sensitive way to break the news.” I can’t tell her emotions from her face, but her voice comes out rough.

“No, no, not Garroth! We’ve been friends since we were kids… and I don’t know what I’d do if he were gone… I would help you, but I must stay and protect the village. The only lead we’ve found so far comes from Merida. You might know her, she’s… she was Vischers wife. And be careful at night! Lupines have been spotted lurking around the village.”

I sigh. I’m going to be seeing combat, but I don’t have any formal training… good thing I made a shield in preparation. Merida probably won’t give me anything, but if I remember right, her son will… and I think I remember where they live.

“Good evening, child. I trust your Lord has taken care of the person who… killed my husband?”

“Not yet-”

“Then get out.”

“What? But, but I need your help! I need to find the Lord-”

“I assumed if you’re not here to bring me the criminals head, then you want something from me, and I was right. Why should I give you and your people anything when all they have done is GET MY HUSBAND KILLED? I- I’m sorry. Please leave.”

I’ve never been more thankful that the people here are NPCs and cannot hurt me, then when I edged around Merida to get to her child. John, that’s his name.

“Miss- er, um, er. I heard you talking to Mommy. You’re looking for the L-Lord… and I know where he is. B-but, I’ll need you help me first. I want you to help my friend. None of the adults would help me… especially if I told them w-who it was.”

“Tit for tat, eh? I’ll help your friend, kiddo.”

“My friend is being held at the hunters cabin. He’s locked up in the cellar below. Please help him outside of town- and don’t show him to any of the adults. They’ll just lock him up again. Please.” Right, now to look through houses until I find the right one.

Quiet, quiet. I’m so lucky that the guy passed out before I got here. But I can’t wake him up. If he sees me, I’ll probably be thrown in jail too! An iron door can’t stop me! I simply mine one iron bar, so.. Lowell? can creep out.

“Who… who are you? What do you want? I’m- I’m not- please don’t hurt me.”

“Lowell, right? John sent me. I’m here to rescue you. I’ll put you in this golden lasso to smuggle you out of town, but I’ll need your consent.”

“You- you do smell like him… I- I. Thank you so much, I just want to see my mommy!” His crying makes my heart clench, and I carefully drape the lasso over him. Once the iron bar was back in place it was the perfect crime. A real head scratcher! Quiet, quiet… and I’m home free! Not really, I’ll need to bring him to his family first. God, I hope they don’t attack me. Good thing I got this shield.

“This is wonderful!” John whispers to me. “It’s night now, so his parents will be by the docks just out of town. Remember, don’t show him to anyone… I don’t want my only friend ending up on a plaque. And, about the Lord? Lowell’s parents know where he is, just ask them.”

Yup, there they are. Unfortunately, they don’t give me a chance to speak before attacking. The Alpha snarls into the wood of my shield, pushing me back with his snout. My arms trembled and tears leaked out of my eyes. He rears back for another attack, when-

_ Sniff, sniff. _ “Kiki? No, you don’t look like her. But you have her doll… why do you have it!”

I don’t reply, so busy panting for breath where I’ve collapsed into the dirt. I unveil Lowell, and sag into the grass.

“Kiki’s my friend. I guess when she said I’d need this doll, she was right.”

“... you returned our pup. Human, I thank you. It is not often we find people as kind as you or Kiki.”

“You fu- fricken attacked me but go off I guess. John said you had information on the missing Lord? If you do, and I don’t think John lied, then I need to know. My friend is going… to- to die, if I don’t find him.”

“Follow us. Well explain everything at our home.” I breathe deeply and get up.

By the time we reach the wolf village, the sun is peeking over the horizon. The Alpha leads me into a cave, and turns to me to speak.

“I apologize deeply for attacking without thought. Anger has always been our peoples weakness, be it our animal side or just something we’ve inherited from our ancestors… but that doesn’t make what I tried to do to you okay. Please forgive me.”

“Ehhh… I’m not dead, and that was a good apology, so we’re even.” He snorts.

“Your humor makes me laugh. Ha. Ha.” I snicker at the lackluster laughter.

“Dallas, is it? Thank you for bringing home Lowell, he’s one of the last pure-blooded werewolf cubs. He means a lot to our kind.”

“What?”

“He doesn’t transform into human. He was born from two parents who shared the trait. The rest of the pack are bitten humans, who were exiled by their villages.”

“That’s… terrible.”

“It’s life, and I can’t say our own people are pure of heart either. We’ve had put moments in history. But enough of that, we’re different now. We only use our arms on those who have wronged use, and your  _ Bright Port  _ has taken not one, but TWO of our kind.”

“But Lowell was the only one in the cage…”

“Cage?! Wait, no. Our brother Vischer was brutally burned and his body… his body was buried outside our town. We picked up his scent and dug him up, to give him a proper burial. He didn’t deserve the funeral those people gave him.”

“Vischer was a werewolf?!”

“Yes. He married a human woman who accepted him for himself and his altered form. His son, John, doesn’t show any sign of turning, but he smells of our kind, so he’s always welcomed here, despite his human appearance. Regardless, Vischer was murdered by his own man. We aim to avenge him. We came to the village to find the murderer, but we haven’t picked up a thing.”

“Well… that’s probably because you’re looking in the wrong village. Vischer was… blown up while visiting my village, and we have yet to catch the culprits. That’s actually why I’m here… they struck again, shooting two of my friends in the chest with arrows. We healed one of them… but if we don’t get access to the Lord of Bright Ports healing magicks, then…” I trailed off.

“... then the Lord was telling the truth. Curse me! It seems we have made a grave mistake.”

“The Lord? Please, where…?”

“The Lord of Bright Port… a man of kindness… and brave stupidity. A few days ago we sought to take our vengeance on Bright Port. Not just for what we thought they did to Vischer, but got the unfair treatment we’ve had to endure throughout all these years. Even though we currently have a treaty between us, they used to slaughter our kind for food and clothing. We wished to make them pay. 

Using dark magic, we erected a structure called a… ‘Nether Portal’, in order to summon a demon from hell, foolishly believing we could control them. As we did, the Lord interrupted our ceremony to explain… but we didn’t believe him.”

“And?” I prompt, when he seems to be lost in thought.

“Then.. our pure female werewolf cub was taken by a demon from the Nether. The Lord jumped in after her, but it was too late. The creature had destroyed the portal, causing it to shut off… and we had no more obsidian to reconstruct it.”

The Nether, huh. Nothing there but ghosts and blazes and magma slimes… and “Shadow Knights. Their base is in the Nether, and they’ve been killing lords. Could I perhaps borrow some lava?”

“Huh?”

“I have to save them before it’s too late… for all three of them. Could I borrow some lava?”

“A child- no,thank you. Take as much as you need. In my safe, you will find stuff. Take as much as you need.”

If I remember correctly there should be lava around here. Good thing I have four pieces of iron. One bucket of water later, and I have my first piece. There’s also some gravel, so that’s the flint and steel. I spot the Pam’s Harvest Craft crops, and make a promise to myself to bring some back. The other bucket of lava comes from the cave. I should sleep, but every moment I waste is one more moment Garroth is brought closer to death. I grasp my sword I’m my normal hand, my shield in my off hand, make sure I have enough food in my hotbar. And I’m off.

Alternate chapter image:


	7. In which I go to and return from the Nether.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I know I JUST said I was gonna update on Saturdays... and I was gonna... but my computer broke :) so anyway I’m posting from my phone now. Enjoy :)  
> Also!  
> Do y’all like the wash versions or the b&w versions better? I could do either or I could do them digitally- I’m doing chptr nines card digitally so look forward to that  
> Anyway  
> With school starting up again I might miss more days... aiming not to but no promises  
> Thx for reading and commenting!

The Nether fortress is imposing. The Nether is surprisingly dark, for a place supposed to be filled with fire. Wait- no. I have to concentrate. 

I quickly parkour down the cliff, mining blocks for ease of return. The sand makes silverfish noises when I walk on it, so I make a path of netherrack. Actually, I should get some Nether supplies while I’m here, as I think the portals are highly discouraged. 

The pathway is made of stone bricks, cool beneath my feet. My mouth feels dry, but that could be from the dry heat of the caves. I firmly plant myself down, rolling my shoulders and puffing my chest out. Feet shoulder width apart. Okay… two red and black guards, a large blaze with a… boss health bar? I have a diamond sword, I should be fine. No more dallying. Stop bouncing on the balls of your feet. Garroth is one step closer to death every moment you waste. Stop being such a stupid- ugggh, I’m thinking in the second person again! Just… go!

I begin racing down the bridge, and the sentries finally seem to notice me. They begin rushing forward, and I meet them by the doors. One on my right sweeps their sword at chest height, and I duck under it and stab them. I brace my shield in my sweaty hand against the strong downwards blow the other deals. I lock my sword, sharp edge to sharp edge, when the other follows suit. I flip my blade over to the flat side, allowing the force to carry my blade to them, and slash at them once again. Quickly, before they got the chance to react, I reared back and stabbed them once again. They perished in a cloud of white particles.

The other guards sword was still digging into my shield, so I bring my sword around and through their chest. They leap back, and I jump up from the crouch I had been kept in since the beginning of the fight. We stare each other down- at least, I assume we do, because I can’t actually see their eyes. Then he charges towards me, and I take advantage of my comparatively smaller stature to duck under their sword and run them through. They die, though this one drops a pair of ‘Nether Scorpion Boots’. Is it just boots made out of chiton? Are there scorpions in the Nether or is is just regular scorpion chiton? How would they even kill enough scorpions to sustainably outfit their entire legion? Nevermind. It looks cool.

Even if the armor doesn’t technically do  _ its job _ . It just takes the edge off the damage, instead of stopping blows. Thank god my (real) armor seems to do that much, even if my health bar acts as if there’s no difference. 

I slowly creep into the fortress, mindful of not letting my focus entirely rest on the giant blaze. There could be more guards hiding around… or not. I should fight it. I mean, I’m by the stairwell and it hasn’t noticed me yet, but it would be a pain in the ass to have a giant blaze spitting fire at me while I’m running out of here- with a child and a civilian, no less. (When did I start to think of myself as a combatant instead of a citizen?) It’s just… so imposing. Ugh, mobs are easier than people, just give it the old one-two!

Okay, I didn’t expect the blaze to go down in four hits. I guess it’s just a normal blaze after all, no matter the size. I creep up the stairwell, taking the opportunity to eat and regen. I peek around the corner, to see three of the guards sitting at the table. The way the AI work, I can bait them one at a time into the stairwell.

The act of swinging, and then backing up outside the range of their retaliation works far better than I expected, and I clear the room with three-fourths of my health bar still there. A cursory search reveals nothing, but at least I won’t have to deal with three Shadow Guards on my ass while we’re escaping. And, I’ve got almost a complete set of Nether Scorpion armor. So yay!

The next floor… is much more interesting. And by that I mean I found the wolf pup- Kiva, and the Shadow King. Well, the shadow of the Shadow King. He rushes towards me screaming about his reign spreading into all realms or some other bullshit, but two waves of my sword and a heart of damage later he disappears, leaving behind a ‘Demonic Broadsword’. Sweet!

Kiva is in a tiny thing, in a one-by-one cage. Fuck, something so pixely should not manage to be so cute!

“Are you… one of them? Wait, you… you smell like Lowell.”

“I’m here to rescue you, the alpha- uh, Boldof? sent me, now could you  _ please  _ get in the golden lasso I’m sorry but this place might be swarming with guards any minute now!”

“Thanks thanks- wait, the Lord! The masked man took him! They both seemed so nice… I hope the Lord’s okay-“ I drop the lasso over her, shutting off her words. Now, the Lord.

Ugh, this place isn’t that big, and I can’t seem to find him! I’ve searched everywhere- and it seems that Garroths one ticket to good health is gone! No, no no no! Okay, let’s think. If I didn’t find his Lordship, then Aphmau didn’t either. But Garroth still got healed, somehow. A potion… yes, a potion. Guuuh! Is all this work gonna be for nothing! I should skedaddle while I still can- after all, I can always come back.

I make my way up the cliff, so preoccupied with cursing my luck that I almost don’t see the figure by the portal. Luckily, clothes made to blend into forests stick out here like a sore thumb. It’s… Zenix. And he’s got a golden lasso!

“Hey, hey! Zenix, the fuck you doing here! We haven’t seen you in days!” Was he kidnapped? Did he follow Gene or Sasha through a portal?  Was he a Shadow Knight? Fuck, he went through. Maybe that was the Lord? One can only hope. God. If I follow him quickly, maybe he’ll still be there? Probably not, but I should hurry anyways.

Fire. Fire like someone set off some real explosives here, and holes in the ground. I stamp out the fire as I go along, running out the cave. No… the whole village! Oh my god, their houses! The best method to putting it out seems to be punching it, so by the time the last fire has been put out, my hands are covered in soot and my knuckles are blistering. There’s the Alpha. None of the wolves stepped in to save their town, and I guess I kinda feel bitter about them just standing and watching as I went around being a firefighter.

“Do- OH SWEET IRENE, CHILD, YOUR HAIR IS ON FIRE!!” It is? I guess that’s what that sweet smoky scent- OH MY FUCKING JESUS IT IS! 

“Ashjsfllkhcvjfuck!” I scream, twisting around to pat the fire out. My hands hurt more from slapping the warm metal of my armor, and the fire seems dangerously close to my head. When I pat the last of it out, my hair looks like a wild, blackened mess. 

“...Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I sigh.

“Do you have her?” I unveil Kiva with a flick of my wrist, like a magician. Only it was a magic lasso and a pup, instead of a handkerchief and a dove. 

“Our tribe owes you immensely, however now isn’t the time for celebration. Our village has been attacked by a…” I make a go on gesture, tired and aching all over. I hate adventuring!

“I… I don’t know what it was. It was some kind of,, shadow.” I snorted. Of course it was. “However, that wasn’t the only thing. There was a man, a guard... a human one at that. I wasn’t able to see his face, but it was for sure a human- he and his gang didn’t smell of our kind.”

“There were more? I only saw Z- one going through the portal… but others could have gone through before I got there.”

“Yes, a girl with hair as white as snow, and a man with eyes of water. They all had masks on so we can assume it was the people of Bright Port.”

“Shadow knights…” I hissed. “The two you saw were Sasha of… Meteli(?), presumed dead, and Gene, her superior. Shadow knights, if I remember correctly, can only be made if a guard kills their lord, so you would be hard pressed to find a village affiliated with them. …Though, there might be one. I don’t know. Those two are responsible for the kidnapping and execution of many Lords, and are responsible for the disappearance of the Lord of Bright Port, and probably also Kiva. They’re also responsible for two of mine getting severely wounded, and Vischers murder.”

“...That is a lot of information, and I thank you for it. In return, I will tell you that they headed east. We are staying inside the cave until the flames do as nature intended. You are welcome to rest here as well, pup. We will hold our assault on Bright Port until further notice.” 

God fucking I just want to go home!!!! Well, I can pick some crops now. And bathe my hands in the water. The quest is almost over, I know it. East, east, east. The sun is in the east. So, over the river… maybe they headed to that village-

My thoughts were interrupted by an unpleasant  _ squelch _ beneath my boots, I back up, praying I did not step in some animal shit, but the reality is much worse. The blood has stained the grass red, and the dirt is so saturated in it, it rises to the top when the dirt is stepped on. What- who… I hope the Lord’s not dead. I look up, surveying the landscape. Another blood spot. And another. Almost like a trail. I hike up and down a hill, and that is where the trail runs cold.

Grass, grass, trees, village, suspiciously placed logs… onward! An iron door… no time for a button, let’s break it down! I survey the stone room- Zenix.

“WH-  _ what the fuck, Zenix?! Garroth’s fucking dying, and I find you here?!”  _ I stage whisper. Zenix simply stared ahead, and unsheathes his sword. I immediately equip my diamond sword, much more familiar with its heft than the broadsword.

“This is for the best of everyone, you will know his rule. I’m sorry, Lady Dallas.” He says robotically. His name tag is red.

Luckily for me, Zenix is a Knight in training, and therefore doesn’t have a skill level comparable to Garroth, or even Dale. I thank the minimal training I have as I doge, twist, and parry.

“Zenix, Jesus, just put the sword down! I- h!- don’t want to hurt you!” I pant. I body slam him with my shield, pushing him down onto the floor. “Let’s- let’s just talk about this!”

A movement out of the corner of my eye prompts me to roll away. It’s..

“Stalker boi?!” I eye the man- boy, really, in green. He throws what could be a pokéball or a magma charge at Zenix, and they both disappear. I breathe heavily, not willing to take a break lest I collapse. I do hope that Sasha or Gene aren’t hiding down that hallway.

It’s a cage. With who I can only assume to be the Lord of Bright Port in it.

“Thank GOD I have been looking all over for you! Your rescue-“ I pause to let the room swim before my eyes, and a wave of black rushes over my vision. I blink away the bright spots and lightheadedness with practiced ease. “-is here. I’ve been sent by Azura, c’mon let’s go!”

“My- my village? It still stands? This is amazing! I had feared the worst!” He celebrates like a minecraft player, twisting his head around and jumping. “It’s hard to tell how much time passes in the Nether! I feel like I’ve been in there for months!”

“It’s been about… a week? Are you okay?”

“I’m alright! I’m rather tired and exhausted, though. It’s been a while since I slept. Or had a good meal! In fact, now that I think about it, my body really hurts! I’m not in any condition to travel now.”

“I’ll carry you in this lasso. But- I have to ask something of you. My friend was gravely injured. The doctor that resides in your village has told me that your healing magicks are his only hope now.”

“That’s going to be very hard for me to do-“

“WHAT?!”

“- as that masked man used a crystal and took my magic! I think it has something to do with that shadow in the Nether. I might have something in the village that could help you, though.”

“... _ yeah, you better _ ,” I murmur. Seriously, making me do all that work and  _ then  _ Garroth  _ still  _ dies?! 

“What?” 

“Nothing, nothing,” I said hurriedly. “Get in  the lasso!


	8. In which I experience a quiet moment, and get shitfaced not even ten minutes later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: alright, I'm going to be productive and write more Nostalgia!  
> Me: *sleeps in until four pm, watches youtube, and reads GO fanfiction*

I’m face down on the floor as the Lord monologues about ‘light hearts’ and ‘special bonds’, taking this chance to slip into what my inventory calls < _Stitched Cloth_ > instead of my armor, and rest after sprinting to Bright Port.

“I see my village has become.. well different while I was away! The roads are gone… and the people are astray… looks like I’ll have to get to work to restore it to its former glory!”

“My… recompensation?” I ask.

“Ah… here! It’s not full healing magic, but it is the last of my healing potions. Take it to your friend, I’m sure it will help him.”

“Thanks, thank you so, so much.” I close my eyes against hot tears. “I would LOVE to stick around, but I really must get going, see ya!”

I hadn’t slept in twenty hours, but the end goal in sight made dashing to the boat easy. I tear across the open water, almost crashing my boat into the dock as I leap from it. I don’t have time to talk to Brenden, I just race past him, over the hill, and into the farmhouse.

Alright, now how to apply? It looks like a splash potion, so I’ll just pour it on him? His armor is off, so I just uncork the bottle and pour it straight onto his chest. Interestingly, the edges of his wound glowed through the cloth, making a light show of the skin knitting back together. As the dime-sized hole grew smaller, the light grew in intensity. I was squinting against the glare, and yet it was still too bright. 

It was almost a tangible shaft of light when I put my hand over my eyes. A low ringing noise built up behind my ears growing and growing in intensity until-

There was the rustling of cloth and the _chink_! of chainmail, a muttered groan. Hesitantly, I spread my fingers just enough so I could peek through them.

“ZEN-“ Garroth gasped, “WHA-“ 

He inhaled sharply, and then the room was silent other than the sound of frantic breaths.

“Lord Dallas? Where is my- Where is Zenix?”

“...Are you okay? Do you feel fine? What’s the last thing you remember?”

“...Zenix and I were going to investigate a suspicious door… we suspected it might have been a hideout of the man who shot Brenden, but… I went to the door, and the next thing I know there is an- OH SWEET IRENE I GOT SHOT!” He takes several slow, measured breaths. “Zenix said he saw a man with a mask who shot it and chased after him. That’s when I blacked out.”

“So, um. I, um. Had to leave the village to, um. Make sure you survivedohmygodpleasedon’tbemad!”

“Why would I- nevermind. What happened?”

“Well, um. Dr. Doctor was out of herb, so um. I had to rescuetheLordofBrightPort? And, um. I became an honorary member of a werewolf tribe! And I… wenttotheNethertorescueoneoftheirpupsandalsoIsawZenixhehadtheLordHISNAMETAGWAASREDHE! He. He fought me. But, um. He also. led me. to the Lord? He’s alive. I-I don’t know if he’s been. brainwashed, or, um, he’s…” I stammered out.

“Zenix, Zenix- he’s not bad! When I found him he was a troubled boy, but- he, he wouldn’t do something like _this!_ He’s like- like a- like a _son_ to me! No, no, you’re right, it’s brainwashing, must be, or something like that. Maybe they’re blackmailing him…?”

“I hope so too. You’re right- he’s kind, and empathetic… he wouldn’t ally himself with people who only want to bring destruction!”

“Yes- _ack!_ My- my heart! I’ve heard that when people are in emotional distress, their hearts can feel physical pain… and it doesn’t help that I actually have a wound in my chest.”

“Alright, you rest up! We can talk later.”

“I- no, you’re right. Good job out there, kiddo.”

I sigh, rocking back onto my heels. Alright, first, sleep. Or maybe a bath. Or some food? No matter. Kiki’s also in the room. Huh, hadn’t noticed. I suppose I should talk to her. 

“Brenden was- Oh sweet Irene, your hair!” Oh yeah, my hair. “Sit!”

I eye the chair she pulled out of nowhere and obeyed.

“Now, don’t move!” She orders. I feel her hands(?) running through my hair, separating layers and tying up my hair with an elastic. _Snip, snip_ , the shears go. Mamma always cuts my hair. In the spring, so I have less hair and am cooler over the summer.

“Oh, you have piercings? I couldn’t see under the hair!” I have eight piercings. Mom took me to get all of them but one. The first two were done on my twelfth birthday, than another one on my thirteenth, than two more on my fourteenth. On my fifteenth, I got another singular piercing so my earlobes were symmetrical. The place Ma took me to didn’t do cartilage piercings until one was sixteen, but one of my friends had a summer job working at Claire’s. Before he went back to school, he stole one of their piercing guns. We had gotten shitfaced in beer for his birthday, and both woke up with new piercings. Miraculously, it didn’t get infected, and I achieved that punk aesthetic I had desired for years. I thanked the gods drunk-me hadn’t attempted to give myself the Labret piercing I wanted. My eighth, and most recent piercing, was another cartilage piercing just above my first one, for my sixteenth birthday.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” I blink at Kiki. She had been doing another layer of hair, but now was kneeling in front of me, dabbing at my face with a handkerchief. I stare at her, uncomprehending.

My fingers come away wet. _I’m crying_ , I realize. 

“Mama. Mama. Mama cuts my hair,” I murmur.

“And I’m sure she does a good job of it, too!” Kiki picks up the shears and gets back to work. At least my hair won’t be long anymore.

“Mama cuts my hair in the spring.” Sometimes she dyes it, too. Touches up my roots. I’ve had blue, purple, pink. Red. I liked red. I’ve had my bangs bleached since I was in third grade. It’s… me. 

Kiki doesn’t say anything. She parts my hair with her fingers, a far cry from the cool plastic of Mama’s tools. But it is quick and efficient all the same. My tears wash away the grime on my face, and I think about nothing.

“Brenden was waiting for your return at the shore since you left. He feels really guilty that the last of the of the herb was used on him. He doesn’t think highly of himself compared to Garroth.”

“I met Boldof. He was nice. He attacked me at first, but when he smelled your doll he stopped. I could’ve done without the attack, but he was nice. Adopted me, I think. Into the pack, that is.”

“...So he remembers me. This… I’m glad.” Quiet pervades the space between us, a fragile comfort.

“...You should go see him sometime. You might regret not doing so.”

“I- As much as I would like that, I… don’t think it’s possible. Boldof had confessed to having… feelings for me, inappropriate for a werewolf and future Alpha. I… I don’t think I can face him again. That doll… I had given it to him a long time ago, but he gave it back under the pretense that it was not okay for a future Alpha to possess. 

Maybe… maybe in another realm, we could be together… but not in this one. Boldof knew this- that’s why he gave it back. However. If Bright Port should need me to go talk some sense into the wolves, I would gladly go for the sake of peace.” She lapses into silence again.

“Alright, all done!” I jerk awake, haven fallen into a light doze on the chair. “Come, have a look!” She pulls my tired body up on top of the farmhouse, and a much more recognizable face gazes back. If I ignore the darkness of my bangs, and the lightness of my eyes, it could be me. I splash some water onto my face, clearing it of grime and obvious tear tracks. In these ratty, dirty bedsheets, I look like a street urchin. If such a thing exists here.

“Hey, Kiki, would you tell everyone that I’m back, and that Garroth is gonna be okay? I need… to sleep.”

“Sure!”

And with that, I climbed into my house and onto my bed. Sweet, sweet oblivion, here I come.

I woke up to sweet birdsong, and a heavy dog on my chest. I smiled tiredly, glad that the crisis was averted. There wouldn’t be another high-stakes quest like that until… until… whatever. Anyway, Scaleswind Arc is next. Why did Aphmau go in it again? There was like-

Three sharp raps interrupted my ruminations. I tumble out of bed, shoving Cat onto the floor. I rummage through the chest underneath my bed, both for some chicken to put in his bowl, and new clothes for me to tug on.

Cat had just barely started eating when the person knocked again.

“Coming, coming, jeeze!” I tug the shift over my head and fling open the door.

“What do you- oh, hey, Brenden. What’s up?”

“Um, uh, I have to talk to you about… Zenix. There’s something… bad about him. Actually, I didn’t get shot at with the first arrow. Originally Zenix and I were shot at by an unknown suspect, and we headed into the forest to pursue, but… next thing I knew, I was waking up in the farmhouse with an arrow wound. Especially with how he hasn’t come back yet… should I tell Garroth?” I frown. A time when Zenix was alone, huh. With other Shadow Knights.

“No, I’ll handle it.”

“Thanks. I don’t think I have the… _heart_ to tell Garroth. Get it, cause I almost got shot-“

“Pft- heheh! That was _horrible_ ! Don’t try to be… _punny_!” 

“Haha! Good one, m’lord! Well, I’ll be off now!”

A nice, peaceful day. Garroth isn’t up yet, but he’s definitely doing better. I almost tripped over a hiccuping Dale in the plaza, but it’s okay, because Logan opened up shop. A drink other than water? Sign me up! Too bad he only really has fruit seeds, though.

I dash back to the square with gold. 

“Tha goods, Logan,” I said, ignoring his spiel.

“Root Beer! Root Beer!”

“Aren’t you a little young to buy beer?”

“Shut up and give me the soda!” I sigh at the wondrously sweet beverage. God, I missed processed food. It doesn’t have the unique aftertaste of alcohol, though. Wonder if sugar gets NPCs shitfaced. That might explain why cake makes babies, then. 

“Kimberly! Do you. Take SYLVIA! To be your. Your. Your lawful-ly wedded wife? Through sickness. And health. Through the good and bad. Death do thee part?” Kimberly doesn’t reply, because she is a non-sentient NPC.

“... Goodyyyy! Syyyyyylviaaaa, do thee taketh Kim.ber.ly. as thine waifu? Through sickness aaaand. Not-sick. Till death do dee part, or a divorce.” Sylvia stares at me with expressionless square eyes.

“Greeeeeaaaaat! Here are deeee rongs! You may now. Kiss! The! Briiide! Yaaaay! And, and! Cake! With the power invented in me by dis cake, I do de baby!” The red hearts erupt around them, but…

“WHAAAAT?! No babbeee?! Dat! Dat’s Homo. Phob-ick! Phfftttt!l” I stuck out my tongue at God. I pout at the second couple of Phoenix Drop. “No babee.”

“Heey… Dallas?” 

“Oooh! Heeey Donna! You an Logan. Want CAKE?! I got sum! Made it aaaalll by myseeelf!”

“That’s nice, sweetie. But how about you get to bed now?”

“Whaaaat?! Whaaaat?! It. Sun!!! Not low! I be awake for. Eighteen heurs sumtiems.”

“That’s nice. But you’ve been spending so much time out and about! I bet you’re _exhausted_ ! And we’ve all been worried about you! It would make _me_ feel _much_ better if you went to bed.

“For you? This… dis feels mu, ma, mani,pu.lative…. but… if it makes uuu feel beder… O-key!”

<\- This is Dallas. They say thanks for taking an interest in their journey!


	9. Baby Shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting on Saturday. I uh. Forgot.

I. Regret. Everything. Of course, in Minecraft Diaries logic, root beer gets you drunk. Hopefully these bottles of water will stave off hangover- I mean, they’re like, dehydration induced, right? I think eating something helps, too- what was that.

I squint into the predawn darkness. I feel like I just saw a player run behind the orange tree and crouch. Yep, they’re peeking out. It’s probably stalker boi/quiet rouge. Wonder what’s he gonna do this time? Kay, he dashed in front of the door now, and... placing something down. Okay, it must be a chest from the way he interacted with it. Oh, yep, that’s definitely him.

The rising sun had provided me a clearer look at him. Something went in the chest, but, what? Oh shit, he’s gonna close it and see me, back to bed. Oh, he didn’t look, he just sprinted off into the darkness. Well, the sun is just rising, so let’s go check it out!

Putting on my armor the quick way (i.e. in my inventory), I scurry out to see what it was. Oh. It’s a baby! Levin. This was Aphmau’s son, right? First son. There were others, just can’t remember who. Or maybe just other? Anyway, wasn’t he the cause of the next quest? Scaleswind, to find his mother. 

Babies technically count as items. And when I hold items, they turn into their real-world counterparts. One look into his big, blue eyes and my heart _melted_. He’s old enough to not have that squashed newborn look, or maybe he was delivered via cesarean section, but not old enough to have developed more than a fuzz on his head. Small, chubby fingers reached out to wrap around my own, and I find myself unconsciously bouncing him.

He was technically distantly related to Aphmau, if I remember correctly. His father was a descendant of Irene, and Aphmau was… Irene. Wasn’t he from here originally, anyway? He’ll still get to grow up in his hometown. Anyway, Garroth gives me this quest, so I should go talk to him.

I take extra care climbing down to the farmhouse this time, so as not to disturb the sleepy infant. It takes a bit of work to open the door, but thankfully Garroth’s up. And he’s walking! 

“Dallas… I hate for you to see me like this… in both mind and body. I’m not… all here at the moment.” Was that a zombie outside?

“Don’t worry about it, Garroth.”

“Easy for you to say. The arrow pierced more than my flesh, it pierced my pride. Rrrrgh, it hurts to walk straight up, not so much in my legs as in my abdomen. ...What’s that you’re holding?”

“...A smoothie. What’s what?”

“...........Since when did you have a baby?”

“Oh! Levin, meet Garroth, Garroth, meet Levin! He’s my new baby brother. I’ve only had him for about two minutes, but if anything happened to him I’d kill everyone in this town and then myself.”

“You’d what now!?” He said, sounding strangled.

“...you’re supposed to laugh, why aren’t you... oh, cultural differences. It’s a joke. I wouldn’t actually kill everyone in Phoenix Drop if Levin got hurt. Anyway, I found him on my doorstep this morning. Some man in green came at the asscrack of dawn and left him there.”

“By the seven, is he hurt?! Is he hungry?! What sort of lunatic is this green clad man to just leave a baby at a child’s door? ...And, are you going to take care of him?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know, he’s somewhat crazy, I mean, he’s been watching the village from the trees for a while now, and me.”

“...watching us from the trees- nevermind. Are you sure? A baby is a lot of responsibility, and you are but a child yourself. Additionally, you have responsibilities to this village.”

“I’m sure!”

“...Then I will help you raise him, and should you be needed elsewhere, I will make sure he is cared for. I’ll also make an attempt to find his rightful birth parents or caretakers. I’ll send Raven to Bright Port to inquire if any villagers are missing a baby or know anything of the matter. Until then, care for him as your own. ...you know, he’s kind of cute. He… reminds me of someone. …No matter, onto my pen and quill! Ow, f- sweet Irene!” Those last few sentences left me feeling cold. He’s the lord’s child. Former lord. And even Garroth forgot everything about him but his existence. If I went missing, would they remember me?

“Garroth is making such wonderful progress, seeing as his upper body is in so much pain. Not only that, but he received healing magics from a bottle rather than a scholar… quite the progress, if you ask me! Say, who’s baby is that? If I’d known that someone in the village was having a baby, I’d’ve thrown them a baby shower!”

“... Actually, he was left at my doorstep this morning. I’m taking care of him until we find his rightful mother… but if we don’t, I’ll adopt him.”

“Awww, poor guy! But a new life always deserves to be celebrated, even little animal babies! I’ll throw you a baby shower- it’s never a bad time for one! Kekeke!”

Another pleasant surprise is seeing Dale up.

“Dallas, many apologies for my… terrible display yesterday. It won’t happen again. I don’t know how to hold my drinks if you know what I mean. ...Is that a baby?”

“Yes. He was left at my door. I’m keeping him.”

“Really? Splendid! This town needs more guards! ...He will be a guard when he grows up, right? Oh, Uncle Dale will make sure of that!”

“Is that… A BABY!? I LOVE BABIES! IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE ONE OR TWENTY! OH CAN I HOLD HIM!?” I blink at Donna. That’s a sort of enthusiasm for children I’ve never encountered before. Oh shit- Levin’s crying!

“Oh no, he’s crying… did I startle him? I’m sorry, maybe I can hold him later! He’s so precious guuguuguu~ aaabbuuuububu~ coochicoochicoo~” I took a step back, and then another. “Aaaaagugugu~ awen’t yueee the cuuutest widdle guy~!”

She doesn’t even seem to be paying attention as I back away. I should talk to Zoey…

“Oh, a baby. Hm, he doesn’t smell of this village. Was he left at your doorstep this morning?” I stare at her, mouth twisted somewhere between a grimace and a smile, with fear in my eyes.

“I take it I’m not wrong. We fairies have very sensitive noses, and I also have the ability to- nothing! I have NO abilities! ANYWAY, I’m not supposed to sell these, since I’m holding them for a merchant, but… you need them more right now. Feel free to take a look.”

“Really? Won’t you get in trouble?”

“It’s fine!”

“T- Thanks a lot!” I better go grab some iron from home. And build him a room while I’m at it.

And… done! Pretty homey, if I do say so myself! Too bad anytime I put Levin in the crib, he just turns back into an item. I put him in a chest so there’s no possibility of him despawning. Now, time for sleep.

It seems that Kiki hasn’t set up the baby shower yet. That’s good- it means the progression of events is slow. I’ll have more time with Levin before I have to leave for Scaleswind. 

Zoey was a great help. Although the crib will have to be saved until he is older, the magic refilling bottle of formula is a lifesaver. Anytime I put it away, it refills, so when it’s in my hand again, I can feed Levin. It’s also a miracle that I haven’t had to change any diapers- where would I even get any? The same mechanic seems to work for that.

I’m not excited for when he ‘grows up’, and I won’t be able to hold him anymore.

“Oy! How’s it feel being a big sister, ey? Good to see you two out and about. Oh, and hello there, little man! Oh, I’m supposed to tell you that the Lady Kiki has gone and thrown you an actual baby shower! Girl convinced Garroth to send that ‘Raven’ o’ his to Bright Port and ta a number of other places as well. Thought, I don’t think Garroth much objected to throwin’ little Levin here a party. In fact, he welcomed it like the proud father he is! Haha!” I narrowed my eyes at Dale.

“...Just what are you implying?”

“I’m a dad myself, you know, little Brian has gone off to knight training now that he’s a teen and I couldn’t be more proud. I know the look a dad gets- and Garroth’s the biggest mother hen in the village! If you hadn’t claimed Levin, he probably would’ve without a second thought- just like every other child that came to this village alone! He’s a good man.” My breath caught in my throat, and my body went cold. I couldn’t help hunching my shoulders and drawing myself inwards.

“I _have_ parents, you know. Waiting for me, back home. They miss me. Probably. They’ve probably sent out a search party for me. Or something,” I murmured.

“...I’m sorry. I overstepped. Many apologies. But… if… we’re here for you, y’know. ...Well, go on! Garroth was kind enough to let Kiki use the farmhouse for the party. The men of the village are up to other matters since this is a women only thing, though I think one man is there. I still stand by what I said earlier- it’s only right for him to attend. Well, go on!” What bit of what he said earlier? I still don’t see balloons, though, so it might be happening in the afternoon…? I would grind for a bit, but since I don’t have anyone to watch over Levin, I’ll just have to hang out in the village a bit. What do, what do… I can go get Cat some food- oh, Garroth! And… _that is not a Raven what the fuck is that a dragon?!_

“Little Levin! Oh he’s going to grow up to be something, I can feel it! Oh, have you met Raven?”

“That is not a raven. That is not a raven. _That is not a raven, what the fuck Garroth, that’s a fucking wyvern!_ ” 

“Of course he’s a wyvern! A baby one, the runt of his littler, to be exact! His name is Raven, so I see how you might have gotten confused. He won’t get much bigger than this. I found him with a broken wing alone in the middle of the forest, and nursed him back to health. He’s stayed near me ever since. He’s the one who carries letters and packages to and fro. He’s not very social, but today is special- he’s actually sitting by my side! He must know that I’m hurt. Anyway, go about your way- today is a party day, no need for the company of an injured guard. Take care of little Levin.” Aren’t the wyverns, like sentient? And able to understand English? I doubt he needed to ‘sense’ it at all.

I made my way back to my house and… there were balloons outside of the farmhouse? That was… quick. Especially considering I _just_ walked past it like five minutes ago. Well, it wouldn’t be a party without the guest of honor, now would it?

“SURPRISE! HAPPY BABY SHOWER! Oh, I know it’s a bit tacky seeing as I put everything together just this morning, but… I hope you like it!”

“Awww, it’s great Kiki! You really didn’t have to do this!”

“Of course I did, silly! Kekeke! It makes me soooo happy to hear that you like it! Well, here is my gift to you!” She gave me a diamond?! Sweet! “You should go talk to everyone else- they all have gifts for you too! I’ve got to stand around and be a good party host, kekeke! Oh, and one more thing- you should go to the docks at night. There might be someone waiting for you.”

Someone at the docks? At night? I furrow my brow. My immediate inclination is that it’ll be someone dangerous… but I trust Kiki. And besides, since it’s Kiki, it’s probably just one of the werewolves! Anyway, party party party. I hope there’s a cake.

“Hey Zoey!”

“Hello, child. How is the Levin liking the merchandise I sold to you?”

“Oh, it’s great! You really didn’t have to do that-“

“Of course I did! You’ve let me stay in your village free of charge! Here’s another gift, from me to you- I know you’ll make good use of it!” Another diamond!

“Hello Azura! I wasn’t expecting to see you here!”

“I wouldn’t miss it! Not just for the baby- Lavin?”

“Levin.”

“Levin! Though he is mighty cute, but also because as you are the person who went to such lengths to save my Lord, so I would like to have a good relationship with you! Anyway, baby! That’s what we’re here for! I can see why Garroth took a liking to this one, he looks like… um, what… who… tip of my tongue… ah, nevermind. Anyhow, I haven’t heard of a baby going missing, so I guess he’s yours until further notice! I’ll keep an ear out, though. Lord knows if a mother is missing her baby, she won’t let it go unnoticed. Anyway, as I’ve heard it’s customary to give gifts to the subject of the baby shower, this is for you! Keep the little one safe.” Huh, maybe diamonds are what you give as gifts here. That thought sufficiently distracted me from the cold shiver that went down my spine when she almost recognized Levin.

“Hey Donna!”

“OH LET ME SEE LEVIN! GUGUGU~ Oooooh, he’s so darling! Hm, you could really be his sibling- your faces are both chubby and cute!”

“Are you saying I’m fat?” I teased.

“Aw, it’s all cute baby fat, though, and I’d love to have it too! It’s all in your cheeks, though, so don’t worry. You’re beautiful no matter what! AHHH BABIES! I’m going to have to talk to Logan about this… speaking of whom, this is a gift from us. Mostly him, he said you might need this.” Another diamond- no, three diamonds! At this rate, I’ll be able to make Levin his own set of baby armor!

Hey, Pail- no, Paul’s here too!

“Dallas! Long time no see! Sorry, I travel the world a lot, but I was making a stop in Bright Port when Azura told me the news- congratulations! A baby, no matter where from is always a blessing! Now, I come to give you this, and hope you make the most of it. ...By the way, how has Merida been holding up since… y’know.”

“... She’s mad.”

“Aye, I figured as much. She isn’t the type to let things go. Azura had invited her and John to the party, seeing as you and him are on good terms, but… she refused to go or let the boy come! ...I must admit, I knew this would happen to the bearer of the news- it was why I was so relieved when you offered to take my place. I haven’t spoken to her, for fear she must hate me- in fact, the last time I saw her was, well, when Vischer was alive. I don’t think I can ever face her, being the coward that I am…. Anyway, let’s celebrate life for now! To Levin!”

Oof, heavy. But, that ending statement is something I can agree with. But. As fun as this has been, I’d quite like to go now. I gathered up the cake and toys, and made my escape.


	10. Uh oh, looks like Someone is getting murdered in their sleep tonight!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: haha lets introduce Laurence  
> Laurence: is fucking creepy at first  
> Dallas: is 16  
> Me: Let's Not
> 
> 9/18: I can write this now knowing that all 5 ppl who read this will have already read the chap and as notes don’t count as ‘updating the story’. I’ve just figured out the reason why Dallas is in MCD and, oof. It has a l o t of implications... Dallas honey why

I enjoyed the cool night breeze that twined through my hair. The scent of the sea still clung to me from my meeting with Khira and Kiva earlier. Levin had been put to bed just as the sun touched the horizon, because babies need their sleep- and there was at least ten minutes of me singing before he deigned to sleep.

I was heading to the plaza. I had slept enough the night before, and I had half a mind to thank Logan for the generous gift. As I made my way over to him, an unfamiliar person caught my eye. With her more modern clothes, she could easily be one of the newer villagers, but. She was just standing there, next to Brenden.

“Brenden, what-“

“Hey Dallas, I was just telling Sasha here all about you! Hey can I hold Levin sometime? I’m trying to make it work with her…” Sasha, Sasha- the name rang in my ears, overpowering the rest of whatever he was saying. White hair, purple eyes- of course, how could I forget!

“Sasha…” I murmur, glancing coldly at her from the corner of my eye. What is she doing here. I think of Levin and my heart skips a beat. No! I can’t let her know I’m onto her. I refocus on the dialogue prompter.

“No. Get your own swag.”

“Swag? What does that even mean!?  Geez Dallas, come on! Ugh, fine, I’ll work my magic on my own. SO, SASHA! How do you feel about… hamsters?” I sigh at his antics, before switching my attention to the shadow knight.

“Greetings Dallas! Brenden here has told me so much of you. Oh, but where are my manners… my name is Sasha, I come from a kingdom far from here. I want to travel the world, so… here I am! Hehe! Say, did I here you have a baby? Where is he? Is he sleeping? Can I see him? Can I hold him?”

“Uh, I don’t even know you.” The adrenaline made me feel shaky and charged up, and my words came out with more of a bite than I intended.

“Oh, I beg your pardon you are right! I’m sooo sorry! Hm, well, here! It’s not much, but I got this on my travels.” She places two diamonds in the palm of my hand, and curls my fingers over- well, nothing, because as soon as the diamonds disappeared from view they went into my inventory, but the creepy factor was still there. “Congrats to your newborn! Say, you think I could live here? I’m kinda liking  _ this _ place.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to travel the world?” Something about the way she spoke put me (more) on edge. Maybe it was the way each word was carefully pronounced and enunciated, like she had picked each one and measured it inside her head before speaking, or the fact that I cannot read any emotions from her FUCKING MINECRAFT FACE that threw me off. Maybe it was the weird cadence, like she was chanting her words, or the odd emphasis on certain words- whatever it is, I counted it as another thing against her.

“Oh, but I  _ reeeaally  _ like it! The… smallness… is sooo charming! How about now?” Several more diamonds glitter in the palm(?) of her hand.

“We recently had a population boost. We don’t have the resources to support more people.”

“Oh, but I’m veeery self-sufficient! Say… is that your house on the hill? The one your baby is sleeping in? Does it have… any  _ defenses  _ on it? Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just sooo awkward around new people. I can build myself a house!”

“The-”

“Oh, I knew you’d see reason! Hey Brenden, why don’t you show me around?” I grit my teeth as I watch the stuttering boy lead the faux-bubbly girl away. Where’s Garroth? I need to ask him about watching her- and let out some stress.

“Kiki… why is Dale dancing on the stall?”

“I think you already know why. It’s a good thing no one else is around except me and Logan and that new old guy who… well, I don’t know where he came from, but he’s old and senile. He doesn’t even remember my name after I told it to him seven times! I would be wary of him Dallas, while he’s super frail and needed help just getting into that stall there… his wares are… questionable.”

!!!!!! Ice cream! Ice cream! It’s the ice cream guy!

“Luk ab me I’m Azuuura I’b secretly in lub wid Garrod buh he dun lov me! *hic*” Dale slurred. Dale can take care of himself- ice cream time!

“HEY YOU YOUGIN’ I USED TO SELL ICE CREAM BUT THEY STOPPED ME IN MY OLD VILLAGE BECAUSE I MADE IT OUTTA GUNPOWDER BUT THAT JUST ADDED MORE BOOM TO THE FLAVOR Y’KNOW! HAHAHAHAHA! SAY, WANNA TRY SOME? IT’S DIRT CHEAP ‘CAUSE I'M POOR! YEEEEE-HAAAAAAW!”

“Pressing ‘X’ for doubt,” I said. Maybe it’s not ice cream time. I do have half a stack of dirt in my inventory… maybe I’ll try it?

“NOW DON'T BE SHY BUY AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE! AND I THINK I'LL LIVE HERE! CHECK PLEASE!” ...Loud.

The creeper drops ice cream. The creeper drops ice cream! Holy fucking shit, I’m eating ice cream in minecraft. This- I’m declaring this a national holiday. Hey, that house is new.

And just like that, my mood soured. Sasha…

“Heey, Brenden…”

“Isn’t Sasha beautiful? She was so close to touching my hand- it was almost like we were made for each other!” He sighed, and I’m sure if I could read his expression it would be a ‘lovestruck’ one.

“...You’re being creepy…”

“R-really? Oh no! Do you think she noticed that? Gah! Stupid Brenden! I’m sorry Dallas, it’s just… she’s the first girl I ever… liked.”

“Huh?”

“What I mean to say is… I don’t… eh, I mean I know everyone thinks of me as a lady killer. A guy like me with these aamaazing looks… you probably thought I’d have a girlfriend at least once in my life by now, but… I’m very shy, Dallas. I don’t know how to act around a girl I… like-like.”

“Well, live and learn buddy. Live and learn.”

“Heey, Dallas! Brenden helped me build this house and move in… I hope you guys don’t mind!” Sasha said in a way that indicated a complete lack of care of whether we minded or not.

“It’s… you have a lot of stuff.”

“Haha, I know, right! I had it shipped overseas- I study potions! You know, some of the best Lords in the land have sought me out for instant poison relief when their food or water gets poisoned? That’s how talented I am- you should consider yourself lucky to have me in your village! Though I would never wish for anything like that to happen to you!” Yeah, and she’s probably the reason they’re poisoned in the first place.  _ Perhaps Garroth can help me work out this bad mood _ , I think as I stride out of there. Wait- Donna?

“You see it too, huh? I don’t know, Dallas, something about this Sasha chick doesn’t rub me right. She’s using Brenden- and I know a thing or two about using men. What do you think I first took an interest in Logan for? I mean, I’ve come to love him, but! My problems aside, I’m telling you, Dallas, something about this chick reminds me… of the old me. I’m going to keep an eye on her.” 

“You do that, imma check on Levin.”

Aww, Garroth’s holding Levin! It would be nice if he ASKED before barging into my house… but I do that all the time to other people, so I guess it’d be hypocritical of me to say anything.

“Dallas, a word… I’m sorry I didn’t let you know I was coming, but I have some news… about Levin’s origins.”

“Mmm. Go on.”

“Yes… it seems a mother somewhere in the south region, past the ocean, has reported her baby missing. The reports came in just this morning… seeing as it’s so far south, they didn’t reach us in time. But, I mean, I want to see Levin home safely, that is for sure. But, I don’t trust it Dallas, so… will you go investigate it? I don’t want to send Levin on a long journey just to find it’s not the same child. He could get hurt, or worse! You have proven yourself capable in the past, and you are of the age of a knight in training- plus, you have advanced well under my tutelage. I shall send with you a sketch of Levin, so you can assure her he’s safe if it is her. It’s up to you, but… I need to make sure.”

I sigh. “I’ll head to S- head south at first light tomorrow. Make the necessary preparations so the village is safe and the mines can be used as a bunker if there’s an attack. Keep an eye on Sasha- and DO NOT tell her about the second purpose for the mines. I’ll get Zoey to babysit- make sure no one goes after them, please.”

“Of course, Lady Dallas.”

“Zoey?” I stare at the elf/fairy whatever. I had gone to wake Levin up, only to find her already bottle-feeding him. Which is fine and all, afterall, I did build a room for her in the house (there are flowers in the windowsill, and plenty of bookshelves, because she likes knowledge), but… I just wish that she’d knocked! 

“Oh, my apologies, you must think it weird for me to be here. You see, Garroth-“

“Yeah, I was the one who asked for you to babysit. I- you- your room is just over there, facing the village. Just is odd to have someone come in my house while I’m sleeping.”

“Oh, sorry. Well, he and Dale are setting up defenses and posts around the house. Thank you for entrusting me with the responsibility of taking care of your little brother- but I assume it would be because of my magic? Whatever it is, I’m glad you picked me.”

“Ah, actually it’s because you don’t seem to have any other responsibilities right now, and are happy to babysit. Do you want payment? I can pay you.”

“No, no. Spending time with the little one is quite enough. ...Hey, Dallas…”

“Yes?”

“If you do find Levin’s mother… it’s going to be hard to give him up, you know?”

“Yeah, I’m trying not to think about it.” Actually, there’s nothing to worry about, because his mom gave him up. But they don’t know that.

“Ah, I see. But… you don’t have to hand him over…”

“Zoey, he’s not ours- what if he was stolen?”

“I-I’m so sorry, you’re absolutely right! I don’t know- sorry, I was projecting.”

“... do you want to Talk about it?”

“It’s a story for another time. You should get going, Dallas- and be careful. I shall protect Levin with my life- and so will Garroth. He is really such a mother hen. May Irene guide you.”

I pressed a kiss to Levin’s brow, before scooping Cat up in my golden lasso. The senior guards are setting up defenses, eh?

“Dallas, how do you feel about this?” Garroth asked.

“It's the right thing to do.”

“Yes, it is. Now, here in this chest are a few things you might need during your journey. Head to the docks when you are ready. Your ship has been prepared, and Azura is waiting there for you. She was kind enough to bring over the full missing report.”

“Kay. Are y’all gonna be okay?”

“We’ll be fine. I might still be recovering, but you yourself are aware that I can wield a sword. I’m also having Dale set up defenses around your house. It’s punishment for his recent… behavior. Anyway, Dallas, be careful on your journey, and may Irene guide you.”

Let’s see, two potions of healing, a picture of Levin, a flower crown, and a Frost sword. I’m wearing the flower crown, because I wanna be pretty, and put the frost sword away, because with enchantments, my diamond sword is better. I’ll check on Sasha, and then leave. 

Donna’s still staking Sasha out, from the cover of the trees.

“Dallas, last night a masked man visited Sasha. I didn’t get a good look at his face, but she started brewing many potions after they spoke. I told Garroth, and he’s upping security at your house. I don’t know what she is up to, but I don’t trust her. Brenden won’t even listen to me, and Logan thinks I should stay out of it.”

“Thanks for telling me, Donna.”

Brenden sighed dreamily from Sasha’s front step. 

“Sasha is so smart! She’s been busy mixing so many potions for an order. Do you think she’ll ever love a farm boy like me?” He sighed again.

“Dallas!” I looked up to see Sasha staring at me from the doorway. There’s a cauldron in her house that I don’t think was here before, and a potion in an item frame labeled ‘for Dallas’. Probably poison.

“Brenden told me you were going out of town-“ shit! Well, she was bound to notice anyway. “-to find Levin’s mom. That’s sooo noble! Here, you should take this. It’s a potion of Fire Resistance- it might be able to help you! Be sure to rub it aaalll over you,  _ especially  _ your neck. Oh, but be careful not to drop it on any animals! Well, take care!”

Actually, how does this- her profession- work? The Nether is closed off, so the ingredients for potions are limited if not nonexistent. I mean, the base for all potions (last time I checked) is an awkward potion, created using netherwart- which, of course, is found in the Nether. I mean, if you have soulsand, you can grow it in the overworld, so whoever has a monopoly on soul sand has a monopoly on netherwart. Aw man, I should have gotten some while I was there!

And blaze rods, blaze powder, ghost tears, and magma creams are all Nether-exclusive potion ingredients! If someone had a silk touch pickaxe, they could have gotten a blaze spawner, but it’s the same thing as with the soul sand! Never minding quartz… no, I have to focus. 

Most of the trip was on foot, I think, so I’m making a regular boat instead of using my own. They’re as fast as flying, and you use them like they’re a skateboard. Plus, they’re easy to craft. I set out, not at first light as I had hoped, but when the sun was significantly high in the sky. The sea glitters under the sun, reflecting into my eyes, and the salt water sprays onto my feet and calves as my boat cut through the ocean. The wind roars in my ears, bringing with it the sound of… cats… meowing?

‘Cat Island- NO DOGS ALLOWED!’ The sign reads. Well, I can definitely see the cat part. Good thing I left Cat at home- though he might fit in here! I walk up to the house, where the majority of the cacophony (CAT-ophony hahahaHAHAHAHA) is coming from. The sight I’m greeted with is either heaven or hell, based on your opinion of cats. There are so many cats in there that the floor seems to be made of cats. Cats are walking on cats. Cats are climbing the walls. Not a single surface isn’t covered by cats. In the middle of this CAT-ASTROPHE (hahahHAHAHA) is a single old lady in a green sweater.

I only open the door a crack, but it flies open with the force of a hundred cats barreling out onto the sand. Sweet mother Mary… I step in and swiftly close the door behind me. Still so many cats.

“HI THERE! I LOVE CATS! NO DOGS ALLOWED! Traveling? YOU CAN STAY! Just don’t step on the pee the cats like their pee.” I look down at the floor, then at the bed. They’re yellow. Not dyed yellow, but the fresh yellow of cat pee. I am suddenly made aware of the squelch of each footstep, and the cloying scent that made me gag on thin air. The bottom of my boots are wet.

The door flies open again, only this time it is me racing out onto the sand. I am NEVER GOING IN THERE AGAIN! 

The sun is setting, so I lay my bed onto the sand, far enough away I can’t smell it. It had taken me far too long to wash my boots, and now I’ll have to stay the night. God.

I awake to the sound of shattering glass.


	11. In which I meet an overprotective guard named Laurence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm making all of Aph's love interests act as 'older brother' figures to Dallas, but I've just realized I have no idea what to do with Aaron, bc all of the stories are told from Aph's POV so I have no idea how he acts outside of a romantic way. I mean, there's dumb goof Garroth and Big Dumbass Laurence, but Aaron?? I only remember him as Chill BF.  
> Also! I've figured out Dallas's backstory, but I've no??? idea?? if it actually works with canon??? I mean, I COULD watch the rest of MCD, BUT I've stopped myself from watching past Malachi's introduction, bc I don't want to forget my initial reactions to the PLOT... a real dilemma... anyway, ENJOY!

“How could this have happened! This has never happened before!! …What’s that smell!?” The cat lady screamed from next to the giant ocelot.

“... cat pee...?”

“That smell… YOU’RE A DOG OWNER, AREN'T YOU!? I KNEW IT! THIS IS WHY I MADE MY OWN ISLAND OF CATS! TO GET AWAY FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ABUSE AN OLD LADYS HOSPITALITY! Oh, my poor baby Mittens… what am I going to do?”

“Wait… are you blaming Cat for your cat becoming huge? What?”

“NO, I AINT BLAMING NO CAT! I'M BLAMING YOU! My cat must’ve smelled the scent of a dog and became inflicted with the bad juju curse that had run in my Crazy Cat Lady family for years! This is all YOUR fault!”

“Well, I can see why the ‘crazy’ part of ‘crazy cat lady’ is there.”

“The only one who is crazy is YOU if you can’t figure out how to fix this!”

“How. I don’t have magicks, or know of a magicks user who works in such a field.”

“In the town called Meteli, there is a shaman who can undo this bad juju. It’s just a bit north in the swamp. NOW LEAVE! Mittens doesn’t have a ball of yarn big enough to play with… poor Mittens.”

I hop into my boat happily enough. To the north west, I find it. It looks pretty well off, with red banners on the pier and plenty of houses, even if it is in a swamp. I mean, they’ve got GLOWSTONE lamps- and those must be expensive.

Oddly enough, most of the people here seem to be NPCs, but I recognize Laurence thanks to his long red hair, and bright green weapons.

“Good afternoon, child. Oh my…”

“Uh… hi?”

“You’re not from this village- are you lost? Where are your parents? Someone as young as you should not be roaming around alone- who knows what could happen! Worry not- I, Laurence, will protect you!”

“I- that’s nice, but I’m. I'm just visiting. I’ll be fine! on my own.”

“As head guard, it is my duty to make sure the young and innocent are protected! I’m sure I can find someone to take my post- I shall escort you around!”

“I’m fine! I can take care of myself!”

“Of course. But you do not have to. If you need help, I shall gladly aide you!”

“Actually… I’m looking for a… shaman? I was told one lives here…”

“A… shaman? I- I don’t think- oh. Castor. He’s- or rather, he was, a good friend of mine. However he has gotten more… eccentric as the years went by, after. After. Well, it’s best not to speak about that. He entered into the running for the position of Lord, but. Needless to say, there was a resounding rejection. He… left. I do not know where he went, but it cannot be far. Perhaps Hayden or Kenmur could help you- they are the two remaining candidates, and Irene knows that they’re bursting at the seams with information. Anything else, young one?”

“No… thanks for the help!”

“Anytime, lass.”

The first lord candidate I found was Hayden. Green lamps adorned the room, and a sword rack hung from the wall behind a guard carrying a red sword and a large green shield.

“Hello, I’m Dallas.”

“New to the village, I see. What can I do for you, young one?”

“I’m looking for a… shaman?”

“Shaman. You don’t mean- ugh. Guy went nuts a while back. I’m not entirely sure what happened to him, but he recently shacked up somewhere on the outskirts of town. That’s all I know of him, unfortunately. Guy caused me a lot of trouble and played pranks on me constantly. I’m not sure what he’s up to- you might want to be careful, lass. May Irene guide you.”

Hmm…

Kenmur, on the other hand, has red lamps and bookshelves. His guard has a full beard, and less colorful equipment.

“Good evening, Miss. How may I help you?”

“I’m looking for a shaman.”

“Shaman? The only one I know of is… ugh… Castor. I don’t know where he is, honestly. He’s not evil, just… weird. He took all my chickens and replaced them with corn. I honestly can’t help due to lack of information. I apologize, sincerely.” No information again? 

“Good evening.” I turn to look at his guard. “I could not help but overhear your conversation with Kenmur. You are looking for the Chicken Shaman. At least- that is what he calls himself. There’s a small ‘village’... erm, a VERY small… ‘’’village’’’ just a bit to the north of here. That’s where you’ll find him. I must take my leave now- I have to discuss with Hayden’s knight the Lord trials. Good day!”

Huh. North, eh? It seems like I’m just backtracking.

“Dallas!” I turn at the sound of my… nickname? Name-away-from-home?

“If you’re leaving, I must come with you, at least until you get back to your village. Hayden has reported his daughter missing- who knows what happened! She went out looking for flowers, and hasn’t returned! I cannot, in good conscious, let a child go out alone, when we do not know what has happened. Additionally, it means I can search for Cadenza while the rest of the guards keep Hayden and Kenmur away from each other’s throats.”

“Are they mad at each other?”

“Yes. Hayden blames Kenmur for the disappearance, as Kenmur is in love with Cadenza. He claims that Kenmur made her run away so he could steal the Lordship while Hayden was emotionally distraught. Kenmur wants to ‘set Hayden’s head right’ for thinking he would cause the disappearance of his sweetheart. However…”

“What?”

“If you could do me a favor…”

“Sure!”

“Neither Kenmur not Hayden will speak to me, because they both think I’m on their opponents side. However, as a newcomer, they might speak to you…”

“Okay. Will do.” This seems like a mess and a half. And- oh shit, this is delaying my search for Levin’s mother. Well… she can wait… but can he? What if he grows up while I’m away? What if he doesn’t know his adoptive older sibling?

“Hayden? I heard about what happened- can I help?”

“I swear on Irene- oh. I heard your voice, and. I thought you were Cadenza! I’m- sweet Irene, I miss her so much.”

“Well, I can help search for her.”

“You? What credentials do you have!”

“Well, for starters, I’m a Lord- the Lord of Phoenix Drop.”

“A Lord! But you’re so young! I- well, I mean, not just anyone has diamond armor, but… well. As a Lord, you would care about any citizen as I do. Her name is Cadenza, and she is my beloved adoptive daughter. When she was a little girl, I found her in a flower field picking roses. She came from the village next to it- a village that was, at the time, ablaze. She, crying, told me she was picking roses for her parents’ grave. She was so little… and now this. She’s such a wonderful girl, so frail and sensitive… I’m just blaming myself for not sending a guard with her. I know Kenmur is behind this!”

“Jesus… She has a dark past.”

“Who is…? Never mind. She does, but I make sure every day of her life is one to cherish. Please, find my baby girl.”

While that was informative on her past, it didn’t give me any leads. Perhaps Kenmur can tell me more.

“Well?” Laurence asked.

“Nothing, expect for her backstory.”

“I see. Then, let us speak to Kenmur next.”

“Kenmur? Do you have any information on where Cadenza might have gone?”

“I DON'T KNOW! I DIDN'T TAKE HER! I’m no dirty cheat- in fact, I bet  _ he _ set this up, and is now throwing blame on me to discredit my name! I may love Cadenza, but we were not in a relationship. I never had the balls to tell her how I felt. She is a wonderful person, who loves her father so- I would never use her for something like this! And even if I tried to, she’d never go along with it!”

“Nothing? Well, then let us search around the village. You lead the way.” Laurence said.

The swamp is very wet. Thankfully, there are no mosquitoes, because this is minecraft. I follow the coast north, determined to finish one quest first. Though, I do keep an eye out for- roses?

A red chicken sits in a circle of roses. Huh. Maybe Cadenza put them here- maybe that IS Cadenza!

“Hello, you seem to be surrounded by roses. Perhaps you know where Cadenza is?”

“Are you speaking-“ Laurence starts.

“Shh!”

“Bawk! Bawwwk! Bgagck” the chicken flaps around frantically, running around inside of the roses. But if I listen closely, I can almost hear the whisper of…

“You’re cursed? And you need help? Or you want a… purse?” 

“Are you really speaking to a-ACK!”

“BDACK! Baawwk!”

“Oh! You’re-“

Unfortunately, the flower crown did not provide adequate protection against whatever was used to knock me out. I’m getting knocked out a lot- I should be careful about concussions!


	12. I am going to STRANGLE Castor.

“What the ffuck!! Who- what- who are you!” I stare wide eyed at the man in front of me. He’s wearing a strip of orange cloth tied around his head, a white shirt (possibly made out of chicken feathers?) with gold detailing, and a belt with a giant star-shaped buckle on it. Also, he’s holding a white staff with a chicken carved into its head.

“Who am I? Who are YOU?!” I wildly look around for a dialogue prompter, and yet...

“I’m Dallas! Why’d you knock me out! I was just talking- to that red chicken there!”

“This red chicken? Is this WHY YOU DISTURB MY PEOPLE?!”

“Your peo- are, are these, your… people?!”

“Yes, of course! Would you dare to steal my beloved Cadenza?” OH MY GOOOD! The only person I can talk to normally and HE’S FUCKING NUTS!

“So- So she  _ is  _ Cadenza! I was right! But- why- if you’re a shaman, why don’t you break the curse on her? I mean. She IS a person.”

“Oh? I’m sorry. Cadenza is in a lot of trouble, and it’s all because of me. She often visits my hut to play with the children here.” I look around at the aforementioned… children, and opt to bite my tongue. “A few days ago, I was experimenting with a potion that would hopefully turn my people into a similar being to pigmen! Minus the whole ‘murdery’ and ‘zombie’ parts. But alas, one of the children went under the table, and Cadenza went as well. The potion fell on her, and, well… she’s a chicken now.”

“Uh.” It’s odd. It almost seems like there are times when he realizes how odd he sounds, and corrects himself.

“BUT NOT JUST ANY CHICKEN! NO! NOT JUST  _ ANY _ CHICKEN! FOR SHE IS THE _ PRINCESS  _ OF CHICKENS!”

“Uh. W- what?” Aaaaand back to crazy.

“Yeah.”

“But. But. How can she be the princess of chickens if. She’s not actually a chicken?”

“SHE'S A PRINCESS, I TELL YOU! Even as a human, I know this to be true. I bet my chicken voodoo sword on it.”

“Your what now? Wh-whatever. I just know that she’s the daughter of a Lord candidate from Meteli, and he really misses her. Laurence- wait, where is he!?”

“Oh. He’s outside. In a pit.”

“In a WHAT?!”

“Yeah, shh. Listen.” I can faintly hear the sound of vivid cursing and hands digging into dirt.

“Huh.”

“Yes.”

“Anyway, what I’m saying is. She needs to go back.”

“But. But I. But I love her.” He slowly walks closer to me, lowering his voice.

“But, does she love you?”

“Well, I mean, she’s a chicken right now, so I. Don’t. Don’t know.”

“Ah.” We both stare at her. “So, uh, anyway. Um. Are you the Chicken Shaman?”

“WHAT? NO, forsooth, I am THE KING OF ALL CHICKENS!” 

“Do you even know what forsooth means!?”

“But some people do call me the Chicken Shaman.”

“Oh. Oh! Ok. Good good good. Because before I was looking for Cadenza, I was looking for you. I need a potion that will counteract the effects of -this- potion.”

He stares. “That’s. That’s an extremely powerful contact poison. Whoever you’re getting the cure for is probably already done for- the antidote needs to be registered immediately.”

“Oh, no! The effects on animals!”

“Oh. Oh! This is going to be tricky… but I can do it. It will take a bit of time if I’m going to do it… AND I need something in return.”

“Uh, I don’t have any-“

“MY PEOPLE! Need homes.”

“Oh! Um.”

“I am VERY BUSY as the king of all chickens, and caring for my people has not given me any time to build them homes to live in. MY PEOPLE- these chickens- NEED A PLACE to call their own. NOW! If you will be so kind- and if you want this potion you  _ will  _ be so kind- to look in the chest above you.”

“This one?” I look up.

“Yes, that one. There are ALL the supplies to build the homes for my people. Now, once I have the village set for my people, I shall TRULY be king of chickens.”

“Oh, ok! Alright! Ok! So if I make homes for these chickens-“ my hand brushes against one.

“I’m still trying to figure out how we chickens can open doors,” it whispers to me underneath the sounds of a chicken squawking.

“Oh, they’re talking.”

“Well, yes. They do that. Some of them won’t shut up, even.”

“Well, that sounds like a blessing, not a burden. But alright, if I do this for you- if I build then homes- then I get that potion from you, right? And what about Cadenza?”

“What- what about Cadenza?”

“Well… uh, nevermind. But once I build them homes I get the potion?”

“Yes! Now, off to work with you! I have a potion to attend to!”

“Alright. Alright. Yes.”

“Yes. And I’m WATCHING CADENZA! Do not even think of stealing her away.”

“Ok. Aw, there are roses here!” Among the hay bales and logs. “She- Cadenza likes to pick them!”

“Yes, I am aware. They are from her. Thank you.”

Alright, alright. Chicken homes. I guess I can probably just… mimic the design of his house, then. Oak walls. I hate building a three by three house, as a person can’t really live in four blocks, but… these are chickens. Maybe just a bit bigger, then. So I can have windows. Or, y’know, holes in the walls with fences in them, as they appear on the Chicken Shaman’s hut. Jungle wood for the floor-

“Hey, hey! Dallas!” Holy mother of Christ, I forgot about Laurence. I rush over to the pit, and see him staring up at me. His hands are caked with dirt, and one of the blocks is partially destroyed. I tap my knuckles on the partially destroyed dirt block to free him- I was quite relieved when I found out that I don’t need to punch things in order to break them- just contact with my knuckles will do.

“Are you okay?”

“Only my pride is hurt. To let Castor sneak up on me… and the fact that I couldn’t protect you when the very reason I came with you was to prevent this from happening…” he shook his head. “I am very sorry for his behavior.”

“It’s fine- I needed him to make me a potion- I would have ended up here anyway. He’s in there, making me my potion, and in return, I have to build a house for his… people.”

“A chicken coop, then?”

“I guess.”

“You should not be out here, in the night time. We should-“ an skeleton shot an arrow between us, interrupting our conversation.

“Stay behind me!” He said, pulling out his emerald weaponry.

“I got this!” I said. I ducked under his arm, and dashed towards the skeleton. I ducked under one arrow, and then I was upon it. With my sharpness II sword, I made quick work of the monster, causing it to explode into white particles and bones in two swipes.

“... you are proficient with the sword?”

“Yes. Gar- the head guard in my village is teaching me sword fighting.”

“Just sword fighting? What if you get disarmed? H- I’m getting sidetracked. Listen, as good as it is to know such things, especially seeing as you have traveled outside your village, you should always let someone older and more experienced take over the combat when there is a chance. As a child, it is not your duty to fight. It is your duty to stay out of it. You really scared me right then- and what if you had gotten hurt? That would’ve been my fault, because it is my responsibility to protect you. Let me do that.”

I sighed. I was nice of him to worry, even if mobs are really no big deal to me. I can take care of myself- but, well, he’s just worried. Not trying to be condescending. “I’ll… keep that in mind.”

“Good. Now, I shall keep watch if you wish to finish that ... house.  I still have to search for Cadenza… ”

I turn back to the chicken house, not listening to his mumbling. Just a few more blocks, a dog bed, place down the torches… does this house need a door? These are free roaming chickens. Less work for me, then.

“HEY CASTOR! I’M DONE!” I scream. Should I tell Laurence about Cadenza? Eh, she’ll be fine. She lives in my village in canon, anyway. Something about Kawaii-Chan… and Zoey? Oh, gosh, are we the ones that turn her back human? Jesus!

“Eh?” He calls out from the doorway.

“I said, I’m done with a house.” I do jazz hands. This was easy.

“This? This is what YOU'VE built for MY people?”

“Uh, yeah?” I glance at the house out of the corner of my eye. I wouldn’t live in it, but for a chicken…

“Wow. I had NO IDEA you had such CONSIDERABLE TALENT in building HORRIBLE CHICKEN HOUSES!” 

“Well,  _ I  _ think it’s nice,” interjected Laurence.

“Did I ASK for YOUR opinion? And you still owe me five bucks!”

“Five- that was FOUR YEARS AGO, Cas!”

“Wait..” I glance between them. “Do you two know each other?”

“Yes… it was years ago. Believe it or not, Castor here didn’t always call himself the king of chickens. He served under the previous lord-“

“I'M RIGHT HERE!” Castor yelled. “I’m going to work on that potion now. YOU! Make another one- this time SUITABLE for habitation!”

“uuuuUUUUUUGGHHHHHH!” I complained. Perhaps I could have hay floors this time, I contemplate as I turned my back on him. 

“NO! My people are not HORSES! Not PIGS! THEY’RE CHICKENS! You are the WORST contractor I have EVER hired!”

“I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR!” If looks could kill, Castor would be a pile of smoldering ash.

“Hey, hey! She’s trying her best!”

“BUILD IT AGAIN!” My hands twitch midair, as if attempting to wrap around his (nonexistent) neck. “AND DO A GOOD JOB THIS TIME!”

FINE! Fine! If HE wanted to be a jerk about this- just say ‘better’ instead of GIVING me an idea of what he wants, I’ll just build the most BASIC GODDAMN HOUSE I CAN THINK OF! Two by two. Oak. Stair trim. Bed. DONE! (And maybe some candles).

“FUCKING! DONE! CASTOR! GET! THE! FUCK! OUT! HERE!”

“Ah, now THIS is a chicken house! Fit for a chicken KING, even! It is simple, yet elegant, and relies on classic right-angle design.”

“ohmygod. jesusfuckingchrist. This is like. Two steps up from a dirt hut. Why couldn’t you have just  _ s p e c i f i e d _ that.” Imma fucking kill myself. I sigh. “Alright. Do you want me to build more, or…”

“No… I think you’ve done enough. Besides, I already have this potion done, and the sooner YOU leave me alone, the better all of us will be.” I summon my sword to my hand so I didn’t accidentally crush the neck of the bottle with my white knuckled grip. 

“Well, that might have been… unpleasant, but at least it’s over, right?” Laurence tried to comfort me. 

“ _ I want to beat him to death with his own goddamn 'chicken voodoo sword'. _ ” I hiss, bristling at the contact of his palm to my shoulder.

“Oookay then. But now that you’ve done this, you can go back to your village, right?”

“I wish. This was just a fucking side quest. Actually…”

“Yeah?”

“You’re searching for Cadenza, right? Why don’t you… ask  _ Castor _ , hmm?” I smirk deviously. Maybe with Laurence on his case, Cadenza will be back to normal sooner.

“Hmmm… Are you sure you’re good to go on your own? It might be daytime, but plenty of mobs find cover under the trees.”

“Yeah, I’m good. Castor mentioned that Cadenza came by here on the day of her disappearance, so…”

“Hmmm…” he’s looking at the house now. “Are you sure you don’t need an escort?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll be  _ fine _ .”

“Then maybe I  _ will _ go question Castor. Stay safe, child.”

Oh, I reflect as I’m making my way back to Cat Island, I forgot to ask about Sasha. Oh well! There’s always next time.

“Alrighty Crazy Cat Lady! I’ve got the cure!”

“THEN GIVE IT TO MY POOR MITTENS!”

I uncork the bottle and pour it over his- hers- their head. The ensuing bright flash of light left me blinking away spots, but, well, it worked! Goodie!

“Amazing! Mittens is now back to his even cuter self. Now get off my island and take your dog with you. And take that crate of dogs over there, too. They’ve come to the WRONG ISLAND!”

Huh. I wonder if the citizens would like some dogs. One is enough for me. Who even put a crate of dog medallions on this place anyway? Maybe they saw the sign and wanted to prank her?


	13. In which I solve a crime by cheating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just found out that my mom outed me to my entire family :(  
> but it seems like she'll pay for my top surgery so yay  
> also went to nycc yesterday and it was GREAT

I hate this terrain! It’s so goddamn hard to climb AND I can’t wear my armor because I just had to swim UGH- wait, what’s that pink thing?

“Crime scene?” I muttered.

“Please, Miss, keep moving. Nothing to see here.” Says a guard named ‘Detective Guard’.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

“There’s a series of murders-“ oh, I remember this! “-going on in the area, and… well, our village does not have enough guards to investigate the case. I’m stuck here cleaning up the mess while this guy literally gets away with murder!”

“Was- ... _was a Lord killed?_ ” I asked, lowering my voice.

“No. I understand that Lords all over the land, but this… this has nothing to do with Lords. These are just villagers.”

“Oh. That is… quite concerning.”

“Yes it is… not only that, but the surrounding villages are reporting- wait. What interest do you have in this?”

“It’s just… concerning. I’ve spent all day and all yesterday in Meteli, if you need an alibi. Just ask Laurence or Castor. I’m from Phoenix Drop, which is only a few hours on foot from here, and the thought that such atrocities could be committed so close to home is… well, worrying, to be frank.”

“... sure you do.”

“What?”

“You don’t think it’s weird that you suddenly appear from nowhere and start asking questions? You know what they say; ‘The criminal always returns to the scene to the crime.’ You’re coming with me, kid!”

IT’S. BEEN. FIVE. HOURS. Unfortunately I kept my pickaxe in my hotbar- which apparently all that stuff was ‘in’ my pockets- so I couldn’t mine my way out. They’d allowed me to keep my armor, seeing as I was wearing nothing underneath it. I had food in my inventory, so I wasn’t starving, but all this waiting had me reflecting on the way I’d spent the last few days. I shouldn’t be wasting all this time doing random stuff. I don't know how minecraft babies work- Levin could grow up at any time. This isn’t a real role play- the world won’t wait for me. I’ll just solve the murder and get to Scaleswind as fast as I can.

“Dallas?” I look up to from where I’m leaning against the bars. “You’re free to go. Your story has been corroborated by two people. Have a good day and sorry for the mix-up.”

They can’t spare guards for an investigation but they can for a prison? Aw, I want a prison, I thought as I grabbed my stuff.

“Garroth?!” I exclaimed as I saw who’d came for me. A smile spread across my face, but it dropped just as quickly when I realized he was arguing with Laurence.

“-JUST mediocre swordsmanship is NOT ENOUGH! Scaleswind is DAYS AWAY-“

“LORD Dallas has proven herself VERY capable, and her skill-“

“Can I get a waffle,” I muttered.

“-AND WHAT IF SHE GETS DISARMED? She’s got no one watching her back, and-“

“Can I _pleeeaaseee_ get a waffle?”

“Look, this is VILLAGE AFFAIRS that you-“

“Must be easy for you to say, shorty.”

“Wh- ha- SHORTY?! It’s not _my_ fault that YOU’RE freakishly TALL!”

“Alright.” I said, summoning my sword. “That’s ENOUGH!”

“Lord Dallas! How-“

“How long have you been standing there?” Said Laurence, beating Garroth to the punch.

“Look, Laurence, thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. It’s not that far and I can defend myself against mobs. The reason I’m going to Scaleswind is a private village matter, and as such is frankly none of your business.” Just as Garroth seemed to draw himself up, I turned on him.

“And you! Who’s protecting the village now, huh?! It was fine when I went to Bright Port, because I was minutes away, AND you were down for the count, but Dale isn’t in his prime anymore! With- with everything that’s happened in the past few months, AND a wild card in the village, we CAN'T afford to have lackluster defenses! I appreciate that you bailed me out, but you should’ve sent Raven!”

“Ah- I’m sorry, m’lord. When Raven reported that he saw you getting arrested, I just-“

“YOU'RE A GUARD, you- nevermind. Just get back quickly, and don’t do it again unless I’m in real danger. There should be two guards in the village at all times.”

“Right.”

“But… thanks for coming to bail me out. How’s everyone doing? How’s Cat?”

“You took him with you… don’t you remember?” I. I did? Oh, I did! God, I feel bad leaving him in the lasso all this time… “Other than that, everyone’s okay!”

“Thanks. Imma catch this murderer now, so bye!”

Oh, detective guard has a name now!

“My sincere apologies, Dallas. You have to understand that-“

“I can help you.”

“Oh, really? Well, then… let you give me a rundown of the suspects; the baker from my village, says he was in the shop at the time and has two customers who corroborate that story; the blacksmith from vanilla village, no alibi as of yet; the librarian from strawberry village, no alibi yet as well.”

“Alright. And, uh, just for curiosity’s sake- is your village named chocolate village?”

“Yes, how did you know?” The Napoleon villages, huh? I grinned.

“Just a guess.”

I strode over to the wall and took the unnecessary ladders in order to climb out. Alright, alright. It was the baker, right? But how to incriminate him… perhaps the crime scene will have something?

Wrong. It didn’t now I’m out here in the rain, and- is that glowstone in that hill? You’d think you’d cover up an underground bunker. Now, I’m not going to waste my time searching for the entrance, so I’ll just smash through the glowstone.

Immediately, a sweet, musty scent assaults my nose, carrying with it a faint underlay of copper. Streaks of dried blood stand out against the stone floor, and item frames with skulls on them hang upon the walls, with either pink, white, or a brown block behind it. In the middle is a suit made of black leather.

“Did you find-“ Barrett

“It’s the baker.”

“Wha- But he has an alibi? Why-“

“His murder-dungeon with the skulls of the desceased mounted on the walls as trophies. C’mon.”

“That sounds like a shadow knight in training! Oh sweet Irene, a budding shadow knight in our village… I’ll make a swift arrest! He shan’t see the light of day again. Thank you for your help.”

Alright, let’s get a move on! The land evens out, letting me break into a jog to save time. I happen across some cows, which is good because I saw a backpack in the crafting list earlier. But it wasn’t long until I saw a large pink house perched on top of a hill, with a heart facade. 

I felt like I had just stepped off a roller coaster- jittery and full of adrenaline and happy all at the same time. Just what is in this pink place? I cautiously pushed open one mahogany door, to reveal…. maids? Who would’ve thought a maid café existed in a world that might as well be the setting for Medieval Times?

“OooooOOOOOHHH myyyyy goooOOOOOD! Aaaah! Th-This is so- so- so- so-“

“Oh, ~hello there! Kawaii-Chan is so happy to have someone come in! How may Kawaii-Chan be of service to you?”

“Is- is this a- a maid café?”

“Tee-hee! Of course it is! You see, ~~I~~ -Kawaii-Chan is a witch… not a very good one… but Kawaii-Chan specializes in reanimation! ...only for dolls though. Kawaii-Chan isn’t powerful enough for corpses or anything like that… But Kawaii-Chan brings dolls to life, and dresses them up like maids! So ~~I~~ Kawaii-Chan _maid_ a Maid Café so people could come from all over the world and enjoy Kawaii-Chan’s creations!”

“That’s so cool! What do they do?” I enthused.

“Well… why don’t you find out for yourself? You can take one with you. However, Kawaii-Chan’ll need something in return. You have to come back and visit so Kawaii-Chan’ll know how they fare in the real world! Kawaii-Chan’s still experimenting with the magic, and needs all the results ~~I~~ Kawaii-Chan can get! And you have to tell people of this place- it just opened! And you’re the first customer. Just tell them to visit the ‘SUPER KAWAII DOLL MAID CAFÉ!’ Promise?”

“Of course! Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“Hurray~! Look in that chest over there, and call me over once you’ve chosen a template!”

“Hold on- just one more question. How far off is the town is of Scaleswind? I’ve been traveling for days.”

“Scaleswind, hmm… well, you’re still a few days off from it on foot- but just keep heading South.”

“Alright… Thanks!” A few days, huh. If there was that much traveling, I think my brain edited it out. 

Alright. Maid time.

The chest held rows upon rows of ‘Maid blueprints’. Each one seemed like a character reference sheet of one of the maids designs, complete with measurements of everything from leg length to eye width. In a smaller chest next to it, there was every dye, except, curiously enough, lapis, two stacks of sugar, seven cakes, a row of golden lassos, and one row- that is nine- ‘empty shells’. They were child sized, and in the vague shape of a person, like if a sculptor had started to define features but just got up and left before articulating anything. They had ball joints, and were grey in color. 

I considered each of the blueprints, before finally selecting the one depicting Kyubey. Unsure of how much I’ll need, I took a stack of sugar and a stack of dandelion yellow, as well as a cake and one golden lasso. 

“Have you selected everything? Great! Kawaii-Chan will perform the ritual now!”

She took the blueprint and laid it on the floor, before using a compass to place a piece of lapis at each of the cardinal directions approximately a block away. Using a small brush, she linked each piece of lapis with what seemed to be a mixture of what seemed to be redstone and water. Inside the circle, she painted a line of familiar runes, separating phrases with little ‘x’s in a way the enchanting table did not. She then laid the shell on top of the blueprint, making sure it’s feet were pointing north. She then used the brush and mixture to create a circuit board-like design that linked up the runes, the blueprint, and the shell. Curiously, she left a circle in the middle of the shell’s chest bare. Then she took from me the cake, two pieces of dandelion yellow, and a piece of sugar, and mixed them together with blaze powder and water using a mortar and pestle. Once the mixture seemed to be clumping up, she turned to me once again.

“I need two drops of your blood,” she stated, having dropped the cutesy tone for a more businesslike one. Wordlessly, I gave her my arm, and she cut a small incision on the back of my forearm, and pinched the wound to make two drops of blood fall into the mixture. I rubbed the wound with a little bit of one of my potions of healing as she used her hands to clump the mixture into a ball, much like one would do with cookie dough or pie crust. She placed the ball in the center of the shell’s chest. Then, she used her brush to create a vaguely familiar design on top of the ball, and stood up.

“Stand back,” Kawaii-Chan ordered, moving to the northernmost point of the circle. Once she was satisfied with my distance, she dropped to her knees, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands as if in prayer. She stayed completely still like that for five seconds, and then abruptly slammed her hands down on either side of the lapis in front of her. The redstone lit up, like she had flicked a switch, and when the signal reached the doll’s chest the entire circle lit up in a familiar blinding light. 

When I blinked away spots from my eyes, a yellow Kyubey sat in the center of the circle. The only thing that was left of the circle was the redstone mixture, now dry and encrusted on the floor. 

“Give him some sugar! He’s bonded to you because I used your blood in the ritual, but it never hurts to have them like you more. In addition, the crystals in the sugar heals them! So when he gets hurt, give him some! You can also do many things with maids! Want to know more?”

“Sure!” I said, watching him eat the sugar from my hand.

“Giving them items such as shears, swords, TNT, torches, splash potions, food, water bottles and blaze powder, a bow, or and axe can make them do the actions related to those items. Right now he is in escort mode, meaning he’ll pick up any items you drop.” Wow. Being able to code all of that with such a small circle? She’s way underselling herself. Wait, what? I pushed the thought aside.

“Awesome! How much inventory space does he have?”

“Oh, eighteen slots! There’s also space for armor!”

“Great!” I smiled. “Thanks so much!”

“Oh, are you leaving?”

“Uh…” I hesitated, “Yeah?”

“Well then, safe travels! And don’t forget your promise!”

“I won’t! Bye-bye!” I strode out, now with two companions instead of one. If I hustle, I can go a ways before night fall.


	14. Wyvern meet an greet (God I just want this to be over)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao just finished this sorry. Also go back and read the last chapter I've added some things to it.

I frowned and shouldered my new backpack. It had only been a few hours, but somehow I was totally lost. I couldn’t see the Super Kawaii Maid Café when I climbed up on a tree, and the moon (a new moon at that) was completely obscured behind a thick cloud layer. Additionally, it was also so dark I couldn’t see the trees I kept walking into.

Which is why when I saw a glimmer of light through the trees, I immediately ran towards it. Hopefully whoever was there would be kind enough to let me stay there overnight and let me get my bearings.

As I got closer, I saw the light was emanating from a campfire. It seemed to be a pretty established camp, considering there was a chest underneath the canopy of a green tent, and a washing basin with one of those metal clothes washer boards proper next to it. Perched on a white stool appeared to be an old man.

“Oy, what’s a beauty like you doin put ere?”

“Em… I’m traveling to Scaleswind, but… I seem to be lost.” I laughed nervously. I had became very suddenly aware of my situation. I am a child who looks like a girl completely alone with no one around for miles except for this old, white man who had just called me a _beauty_.

“Ah, I see. Well, you are indeed getting closer- I’d say yer about a day an a half’s walk! Not too far.”

“Great! Goodbye Mister!” ‘-Totally-not-a-Pedophile’ is what I didn’t say. Every bone in my body is urging me to leave. I mean… if he does try something, I can just have Cat bite him, I guess.

“Wait! I mean, um… you look like an abled-bodied young lass… out here all alone.. perhaps a brave adventurer, even! Mayhaps you’d be able to help me out with something?”

“Actua-“

“Great!” I grimaced. “I’m a Lord- well. I WAS a Lord. My village was… it was… burned down. I… have nowhere to go. I want to start over! I want to build a new village! But this time, fire won’t take it down again because of those infernal hooligans!”

“Um, that’s great and all, but-“

“SO, I want to get some Wyvern Lair Planks, and for those I need Wyvern Lair Logs. Those planks are said to be extremely sturdy and completely fire-proof! However, my old bones do not let me adventure. That’s where you come in. Once you use this staff I have, you’ll be transported directly there and be able to gather what I need!”

“Sounds fun, y’know, with uh, GIANT DRAGONS and all, but I _really_ -“

“HA! I knew you’d agree! Here!” The staff he shoved into my chest was a little longer than my arm and a section of it was wrapped with teal fabric. Atop the staff was an ender pearl, which, upon contact, had lit up with an odd teal glow and had tiny teal enchantment book runes orbiting it. I could feel it tugging my… something- I won’t call it life force, but it felt like it was draining my energy through my nerves. As my extremities began to grow cold and numb the staff glowed brighter.

This is what I needed to snap me out of my trance. My finger joints had locked around the staff, and no amount of tugging would make me let go. I began shaking it up and down, and then the but of the staff hit the ground. The world seemed to tilt fifteen degrees sideways and move two meters to the left, before disappearing.

I gasped for air and the staff finally fell from my grip. I curled up into fetal position on the floor of wherever I am- not the grass texture of the forest floor but some secondary location the old man had somehow secreted me to. Shudders wracked my body as I panted in short sharp breaths. My heartbeat pounded in my ears and I felt cold and achy.

_This won’t help. You have to get up and asses the situation I know but I’m fughijkdksgju aaaaaaa C’mon, you know this Yes Yes In 1 2 3 4 hold 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 out 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 again 1…_

I slowly opened my eyes. I wasn’t sure when I’d closed them, but that’s panic attacks for you. I slowly got up, wincing because of protesting muscles. Whatever the staff did left me feeling like one big bruise. I was sitting on some odd quartz structure, somewhere perfectly lit up from all sides despite the lack of visible light sources. In fact, the lighting was like this everywhere- the purple grass, the teal trees, the odd white mushrooms- even I didn’t cast a shadow! In contrast, the sky was completely dark and almost seemed to suck up any light.

There were Wyverns in the distance, varying in colors and much bigger than Raven. This… I didn’t remember Aphmau going to the Wyvern dimension! Might as well gather that wood he wanted or whatever. 

A spot of yellow caught my eye when I kept off the platform. My maid sat in the grass, eerily still. Perhaps Kyubey was not the best choice for a maid. He must have grabbed on or something when I was transported here.

“Wood time.” I muttered. Then shrieked as a Wyvern immediately dive bombed me. “MAYBE NOT!” 

I ducked behind a tree and stifled a scream at the sound of claws rending wood. The wyvern seemed to lose interest once it’s ‘prey’ had disappeared, and flew off. Aren’t the wyverns like.. sentient? Why did it attack me? None of the others seem to have an interest in me, and neither does the one that attacked me now. Anyway. I need like three stacks of wood or something, right?

One tree is about a stack and so far I’ve chopped down three. Also, feeling has returned to my fingers. Let’s leave now. 

Is what I would say if I hadn’t caught sight of a peculiar dome made of cobblestone with light emanating from the entrance. The inside is lined with rings of glowstone, and two golden wyverns stand inside, not making moves to attack. One is about the size of a house and can probably eat me whole, while the other is the size of the ones outside. When I look at them, their hit boxes have names. The Elder Wyvern is sitting on a bed of diamonds… ones I want to take. Probably not a good idea to steal from a beast with a head as large as I am, though.

“Erm. Hello?” I said.

“A mortal here? How odd. Humans have not set foot in my realm for… how long has it been, Gaia?”

“About three centuries according to our astrologists, dame.” Said the smaller wyvern.

“Yes. How do you think this came to be?”

“It is likely they used-“

“Erm… I’m uh… right here?” I said.

“Holy fuck Gaia it can understand us.”

“How unusual. Perhaps it is related to Irene?”

“I wouldn’t know. They all look the same to me.” The Elder harrumphed.

“Um. I’m just… gonna go?” I said quietly.

“No. You will stay there and tell us how you accessed this realm. After all, we can’t have humans running around here again, can we, Gaia?”

“Quite right, dame.”

“Well… this creepy old man gave me a staff.”

“A staff… was that how the Coward King sent those infected mortals into our realm?”

“Perhaps. One simply does not have time to ask about such things when one is snuffing out their life forces.”

“Such would have to be a creation of the banished mage, yes? After all, all the rest of those with such knowledge sided with their leader.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked in confusion.

“Oh. With how short human lifespans are, you must not know of it, yes? Centuries ago, our kind and yours were at war. This war was the machination of a mage who had been long banished for dabbling in the forbidden. It was an attempt to destroy humanity by invoking our wrath. These schemes were found out by the then head of Mages, a fearsome woman who possessed the elusive and wondrous ability to speak and understand our tongue. She managed to stop the war, but the king continued to send in legions of humans tainted with the dark magic of the banished mage. So we worked with her to seal off our realm from all others!”

“Couldn’t you just… depose of the king?”

“No. This was the only way!” Gaia butted in.

“She used a staff marked with the magic of the realm to seal the doorway. Forever preventing to destruction of both worlds.”

“That’s lovely and all, but why are you telling me this?”

“Exposition! Also, she’s probably your ancestor, so it would be good to know of her greatest accomplishments, yes?”

“I _know_ who my parents are. I’m no descendant. Anyway. I got what I needed, so I’m leaving.”

“Wait. Why were you here in the first place, eh?” 

“Oh! Smart catch, Gaia!”

“That old coot sent me to gather some stacks of wyvern lair logs or whatever.”

“You’re not allowed to give them to him. Three stacks of wyvern lair logs and eight human sacrifices are all one needs to tear open a new doorway between dimensions. If you do so I shall rend your head from your shoulders.”

“Right. Okay. I’ll do that. Bye.” I ran out of there, unwilling to listen to anymore of… that. I absentmindedly scratches at my forearm as I jogged back to the altar. Leaving would be great. Then get to Scaleswind and then I can go home. Home… when did I start thinking of Phoenix Drop as-

“Wait!” Gaia dropped down from the sky in front of me. “Please… I know we haven’t been the most… hospitable, but I have a favor to ask if you. You see-“

“Just get to the point. I’m tired of,” I gesticulated aimlessly, “all this. I wanna go home.”

“Ah. Understandable. I only wish to let my children who were trapped in your realm know that I miss them. They’d… be all grown up now. They’re all gold. Please tell them this phrase ‘Bo hofkin, mu saraan’. They’ll know what it means.”

“Well. If I see them. Then I will.”

“Thank you. You have no idea what it means to me.” I smile at her with no teeth. 

I pull myself up on top of the altar, and then pause. I grab my maid bodily and place him next to me, and accesses his inventory. In there, I place all of the wyvern wood I collected. Right. Now I can go. 

I gripped the staff and felt the vertigo set in. 

The Overworld spread around me, and I relaxed at the familiar sights of green grass and foliage. The old man had his back to me.

“Ahem.”

“Ah! Be careful! Another scare like that and I could keel over and die! Hahaha! Now! Where are the logs?”

“The wyverns were… ehm… very insistent that I not take any. I feel as though I’m lucky to still be in one piece.”

“... You whAT?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WENT THROUGH TO FET THAT STUPID FU- STUPID STAFF! ARGH! YOU'VE BEEN A PAIN IN THE- A PAIN EVER SINCE YOU STEPPED FOOT INTO THE VILLAGE!”

“Um.. Do I? Know you?”

“UGH! YES YOU KNOW ME! FU- I SHOULD HAVE DEALT WITH YOU LONG AGO!” The old man screamed. Um, um, ah. Now I remember! It wasn’t just his… creepiness I was getting bad vibes from. Arg, I should’ve known something was wrong! About Zenix, who I dismissed after interacting with him in-village, and about this old man, who looked harmless. Thank god I remembered Sasha from the cutscenes and didn’t trust her- but she moved into the village anyway.

The way the old man transformed into Zenix looked almost like he teleported away, and Zenix teleported into his place. Red eyes, red nametag… where I had only been backing up before, I now switched my sword to in main hand, and summoned my shield to my off hand. But I didn’t turn my back on Zenix, even though it would allow me to put more distance between us. 

“...Dallas… you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into…”

“Zenix… why are you doing this? We’re all worried about you, Garroth especially.” I said.

“Don’t you get it, Dallas? I cannot be harmed as long as I remain a Shadow Knight for the king.”

“You remain a _w h a t_?” I said. It’s the only option. Goddamn it. I don’t want to fight him. Maybe, maybe, he can be saved? Like in books and stuff? Maybe he’s under mind control? I mean, Sasha was described as a kind and caring woman, but she’s a Shadow Knight now, too. And Zenix… I don’t want to believe he’s truly a bad guy, and has always been, and always will be. But not only that, I’m severely outclassed.

“I’m sure Garroth told you… didn’t he? How he found me? He must have… you were always his favorite.” That’s jealousy, right there. “Isn’t it funny how he found me around the same time the old lord was murdered? I wasn’t in such good shape then either. If it wasn’t for stupid Vylad interfering, I would have killed his son and his wife, too… speaking of which. Isn’t there a new baby in town? Would be a shame if you didn’t make it back in time.”

DID HE JUST- okay, calm down. Nothing’s gonna happen to Levin. He name dropped someone. Vylad. Is that the quiet rouge? The one who led me to the village, put the key in my ship, and gave Levin to me?

“Do not. Threaten. What is. Mine.” I bit out.

“ And what are you gonna do, huh? STAB ME? I’M TIRED OF HIDING, LORD DALLAS. DON’T YOU GET IT!? EVERY SINGLE LORD AND GUARDIAN ARE CONNECTED. BOTH CANNOT LIVE FOR LONG WITHOUT ONE DYING! AND WHO DIES? WHO PUTS THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE FOR WHO? US GUARDS DO! WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE EXPENDABLE! IT’S EITHER WE DIE FOR YOU, OR YOU DIE, AND IF WE KILL YOU, WE BECOME HIS LOYAL SERVANTS, BLESSED WITH UNLIMITED POWER! NO ONE CAN TOUCH ME! NO ONE CAN KILL ME, LIKE WHEN I WAS HUMAN! EVEN GARROTH WILL HAVE TO MAKE THIS CHOICE SOME DAY, IF HE CAN GET HIS HEAD OUT OF HIS AS- buM AND SEE THE TRUTH!” Honestly, this sounds like a problem for the guard’s union. Besides, isn’t a guard’s job to protect what they’re fighting for with their life? If you don’t want to guard a lord, pick another job!

“Zenix… I feel like your issues are easily solvable… it’s called getting another job.” What can I say? Humor is a great defense mechanism.

He jumps into motion. 

I bring my shield up to cover my face, and halt his downward swing, but his greater strength makes my arms tremble and my toes dig into the dirt. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash, and luckily I instinctively block with my sword. It seems that while my view of him was blocked with my shield, he drew a second sword. His superior strength is making my arms bend, so I put my all my strength into my legs in order to push him off of me. I manage to make him stumble back a few steps, and I use the opportunity to put more distance between us. Zenix doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. We both know who’s going to win this fight.

He lunges forward again, and I start to bring up my shield, but then he abruptly turns and swings his right sword towards my unprotected back. I pivot on my toe and manage to get my shield in between myself and his weapon, but it’s a close thing. He brings up his other sword and I parry. As long as I keep his sword on my right, I can deflect it. I can almost see his grin beneath his stupid mask. 

We keep like this for a bit, and he manages deep scratches into my arm with the sharp edges of the pixels that make up his sword. His sword comes down in a swift arc, so I make to turn my body so it misses me. My sword cannot take the brunt of the blow’s force, not with me wounded like this. This was a miscalculation. His right sword, still dug into my shield, halts my motion, and instead of managing to block it, the blow hits my helmet, full force. I blink away the black dots that swarm my vision, and Zenix punches me in the nose, unprotected by my diamond armor.

 _At least he won’t get the Wyvern wood_ , is my last though while everything fades to black.


	15. Finally, the Scaleswind Arc ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh. Just a little note. Zenix was not expecting Dallas to even reach the Wyvern realm. He was expecting the magical drain from the staff to kill them on the spot.
> 
> Also  
> Me: Wow, eight pages in three days? I'm so productive!  
> All of my undone homework: (¬_¬)

I gasped awake, and the world spun around me. A cool hand rested on my shoulder, pushing me back down towards the bed. I blinked back the dots swimming in my vision to see a familiar face.

“K- Kawaii… Chan?” Damn my voice was rough. My throat was dry and it hurt to speak. 

“Shhhh… you’ve been hurt pretty badly. You’ve got bruises all over, and your arm was pretty badly cut. If you move to much you might disturb the bandages.”

Even just by making an expression, I could feel strips of stiff fabric stuck to my skin. I had bandages from below my armpits to my hips, and I had pieces of what felt like cotton caked onto my skin everywhere from my cheekbones to my shoulders to my thighs. On my nose and right forearm were soft cloth bandages, and I could see hints of blood staining the one on my forearm.

“Care- Careful! Don’t touch that!” Kawaii-Chan grabbed my hand before I could make contact with the bandage on my nose. “Your nose was broken, and you had some pretty deep cuts on your arm. I used my own personal healing potions for those. The rest are strips of cotton soaked with your own splash potions of healing. I hope you don’t mind. You’ve been out for a few days- the bruises should be mostly faded by now. For full fade, I’m told that it’s advised to keep applying them until all bruises have faded entirely.”

“Thanks Kawaii-Chan. You… didn’t have to do this.” I said.

“But of course I did! Who knows where that man was taking you! Your maid had fought so hard for you… but I’m afraid it’s gone. And… just call me Nana.” She sounded so passionate. 

“Oh… I’m so sorry. You poured so much passion and love into her.”

“It’s ok. Reanimations gain spirits the longer they’re around. Yours was barely more aware than a reptile. Speaking of which… I sensed some odd magic on your maid. What… what magic… what happened?”

“..Shadow Knights have been attacking my village, trying to return it to its previous state. That man… used to be one of my own guards. He belongs to the king now.”

“No…. oh no, no no no no! I- I need to leave. I need to leave RIGHT now.”

“What?”

“Magic is traceable and if there’s a huge concentration of it in one area than it’ll surely draw attention. If the Shadow Knights have your maid, then they’ll know it’s not a simply puppeteering spell, but rather reanimation. My family’s study of magic is highly stigmatized, and it’s very useful for bringing things back to life. And with that rumor about the Shadows targeting magic users… stupid, stupid, stupid! I should’ve known I wouldn’t be safe!”

“Oh- I’m so, so sorry.”

“Not your fault. I… wouldn’t have escaped notice for long. You’ve… given me a head start, actually.”

“Where will you go?”

“Somewhere safe. Somewhere far, far away. I’ll send word to you, after all, you’re Kawaii-Chan’s first customer! Are you still planning to go to Scaleswind?”

“I… I need to complete my quest but I don’t have TIME-“

“Oh, it’s not too far if you go by horse!”

“...Where am I gonna get a horse?”

“I have one! She’s one of my first constructs! Her name is Kimi-Chan and she’s very fast. I… do have a flying horse, but he went out for medics supplies for you yesterday, and…”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Um, actually… I was wondering… if I don’t find a place by myself… could I perhaps live in your village? If the lord gives permission, of course.”

“Oh yeah, no worries. It’s Phoenix Drop, to the north.”

“Thank you. Now, I must pack.”

“Ah. Well, see you there!”

“Good bye.”

I stretched in the morning sun. I had taken off most of the bandages, as they would have been uncomfortable under armor, but the ones on my face remained. Just as I was about to put on my gauntlets, I stopped. I should wear them, just look at what happened when I didn’t! But at the same time I hate gloves and I should give my wound room to breathe. Eh, whatever. 

It’s not that different riding a Minecraft horse as it is a real horse, but it takes some time getting used to it again. I haven’t ridden a horse in years! Also, the speed she goes and the vertical height she can jump are certainly… different.

I- or rather Kimi-Chan- makes the long trek up the mountain that Scaleswind was situated on. The guards at the outpost on the base of the mountain had assured me I was going the right way. Even before I reached the mountain’s peak, I can see thatched roofs peaking over the edge. Kimi-Chan climbs the last few steps, and I have to stop.

In front of me lies a bustling town, full of small buildings and dirty people running around. These buildings are sat around a giant wall, with great blue banners with some odd design on them. I can see bigger and better constructed houses past it. Rising behind those houses is a much older and simpler wall, looking visibly worn with some gaudy decoration tacked on it. Past  _ that _ wall rises a grand mansion, likely home to the Lord of this town and his family, plus whatever nobles live here.

Something about stepping into Scaleswind is… humbling. I’ve lived in New York City all my life, one of the biggest cities in the world, and probably walked past more people on my route to school than lived in this town. Yet somehow, seeing this town is much more impressive than any skyscraper- though maybe not the World Trade Center. Maybe it’s the fact that each of these buildings were crafted by hand, with limited resources, and I know how hard that is personally. Maybe it’s the way I can see Scaleswind’s history- first starting as a dinky little town begins the oldest wall, and then as it expanded and filled up the caldera, another wall was built, and now Scaleswind is starting to outgrow that one as well. Maybe it’s Maybelline. Though a caldera is an interesting choice for a city… I mean, it’s hard to use the high mountain top to your advantage without actually  _ having  _ a mountain top. Without guards posted on the edges at all times, it’s like living in a valley with none of the benefits. Whatever.

I leave Kimi-Chan outside the city’s first wall. Nana said that Kimi would be able to find her way back, and I don’t want Nana getting in trouble because someone spotted the reanimation. Upon nearing the gates, I’m stopped.

“Ho, traveler! What business do you hold in Scaleswind?” Called a guard wearing some alloy of iron armor. His helmet is decked out with gold detailing, and the cloth that goes in front of his chestplate is dyed dark blue. Some design is embroidered in gold on the front of it, but it is far too intricate to be displayed properly in a pixelated world. He holds his sword and shield, but he’s acting relaxed and non-threatening.

“I’m looking for a woman who lost track of her babe? I have news of him.” I stopped before I reached the gate, now making sure my hands stayed empty and in front of me.

“Ah. I’m sorry, but… she left town about a week ago to search for him elsewhere. Matilda is very determined to find him. I’ve sent Bat out to all villages in hopes of news, but… you’re the first one that’s replied, and yet far too late. Anyway, welcome to Scaleswind.” Fuck. Well, as long as I’m here, I might as well see what makes Scaleswind so great.

The houses are built out of wool, and from everything from the streets to the farms, it’s apparent how much more rich Scaleswind is in resources than us. I step into the church. It’s much more opulent from the one in our village, not just in design, but also in decor. Red wool carpets the floor, and there is a full-sized statue of… someone behind a pool of water. The water glitters strangely in the torchlight, though it could be just my imagination.

I slouch down onto a pew and sigh. I would never have done this in any other church I’ve been in, but the smallness of the space makes it seem much more… homely, if that makes sense. It also hammers in the point that even though this is considered a big town, it’s smaller than even the small, isolated Creten village I visited on vacation once.

“Hello child. I have not seen you in town before. Tell me, do you know the tale of our Lady Irene?” He speaks on that soft, disarming voice that I associate with priests for some reason. His age, gender, and occupation put me a bit on edge, but I’m in a populated town. Plus I’m stronger than him. But- no. No creeping fears or irrational paranoia. Back to the question. What do I know of Irene? Well, she was a real person who existed three centuries ago. She used magic. She had a family. And in My Street they use her name in the place of God, so I’m pretty sure she’s worshipped as a religious figure, or at least like a Saint is. This interaction just informs that last point. Also, that not many people know the ‘tale’ of Irene- or perhaps, the ‘true’ tale, for he asked me the question. But I’ve never heard the tale of Irene.

“I do know of her, but I can’t say I have.”

“Ah, common enough. Especially when smaller towns oft do not have their own priests. Though, you do not come from a small town, do you?” He raised an eyebrow, gesturing at my attire. I look down at the diamond armor. That’s the second comment I’ve gotten about it!

“Oh, no. I gathered the materials myself.”

“Oh! You did? How lovely! From where do you hail?”

“Phoenix Drop, north of Bright Port.”

“You’ve come a long way then. It sounds… vaguely familiar… but I can’t say I’ve heard of it.”

“Maybe you have. I’m not too clear on how the curse works, but our last lord died… oh, can’t be more than a month ago, due to arson.”

“So sure it’s murder?” There’s a slight reprimand in his tone. 

“It’s hard to doubt it when the culprit confesses it to your face. Not that I’d ever tell his father- would break the poor man. Not that I knew before my trip here. Just ran into the culprit. God, I still can’t believe…”

“Is that why…” the priest trails off, looking at the bandages on my nose and forearm. 

“Yes, but we’re getting off track. I do believe you were to tell me a story?”

“Not just  _ a  _ story, boy.  _ The _ story. Ahem.

Lady Irene was a wonderful woman who existed centuries ago. She was very powerful, and was rumored to be next in line for the head of the Order- an organization that existed at the time, which regulated all mage circles- those are not common today, but all mages form a group, called a circle. 

A war broke out between the country she resided in and the Wyverns- not like the beasts of today, small creatures who carry messages- but huge dragons, ranging in size from as big as a horse to larger than a house.

Irene possessed a unique ability- she was able to communicate with the Wyverns. With this ability, she was able to forge a peace treaty between our kind and theirs. However, the ignorant King still wanted war, and kept sending battalion after battalion after the Wyverns, inciting battles that killed hundreds on either side. Seeing the king would not cease his efforts, she used her immense magical ability to close the portal between our realm and theirs, preventing the war from continuing.

And what did that get her? Nothing but exile and scorn. She and her fiancé fled the country, and came here, founding Scaleswind. She was decried as a traitor to humanity, but the brave men and woman who fought knew better. They left the country en masse for Scaleswind when the king put a bounty on her head. The king’s increased efforts to slay Irene and her family incensed the soldiers so much that they started a revolution- one which succeeded! They called for Irene to be crowned queen of the country.

However, wise and benevolent as she was, Irene rejected the position. Instead, she instituted a new form of governance- one where each town and village had their own leader, so that none could ever have as much power as the king did. These local leaders were to be called Lords, and each would have their own loyal protector, like her own husband was for her. Lady Irene became Lord of Scaleswind, and lived a long and happy life with her husband and children. She passed of natural causes, following her husband into the Void. She would have been a wonderful Queen, but she was a wise and benevolent leader. To this day, we worship her as a beacon of stability, wisdom, and power during troublesome times.”

“Wow….” I said distantly, but my mind was racing a mile a minute. That’s who the Wyvern Elder was talking about. That’s who she thought I was a descendant of. Oh, yeah. It’s all coming together.

“Indeed. To this day, many things about her remain a mystery. But she did exist, and she did do those things. In fact, there are still descendants around.”

“Wow… um, hey, have you seen a woman named Matilda?”

“...Unfortunately, I cannot say the name is familiar. Perhaps if you pray to Irene, she will guide you.”

I stare at the shrine. Past the waterfalls, there’s a… marble (?) statue of a woman looking up, with a hood obscuring her features. Long hair tumbles out from beneath the fabric, going down to below her chest, which is covered by a sleeveless crop top, with intricate ties going over her neck- actually, I think it’s a bra. A skirt sits low on her hips, with its own set of ties to keep it in place. Her strong and steady pose has the fabric draping itself over her legs to reveal that, although floor length, it’s split down the sides of both thighs. Damn, Irene goes hard for a saint. 

I lean closer over the bricks to investigate the staff she’s holding. It's hard to make out, because of the way she’s holding it- behind and pointed away from her, but if I squint my eyes I can distinguish it from the walls. It’s recognizable, not because it’s Irene’s staff- in fact, it appears to be much simplified. It’s simply a long, smooth stick with a diamond on the end- the same symbol that took the place of a cross on Garroth’s- and many other guards- tabards.

Huh. Makes sense, considering. I push off the stone- and then freeze at a familiar sound. Not one I’d expect from skin on stone, but rather the crinkle of paper. I pause. Look down. Move my hand. And there, wedged into a crack, is a small slip of paper. I pull it out. It reads:

‘Prayers will get you nowhere, Matilda. We know what you did, and it won’t be long before the town finds out. But if you don’t want it getting out… come to the alley behind the tavern at night. Or we’ll find him.’

Unsigned.

“...shit,” I mutter.

I don’t have to wait for nighttime, which is good, considering it’s the afternoon. After all, that guard up front said she’d been missing for a week. I stumble outside… and great, it’s raining.

“Tavern, tavern, tavern,” I mutter to myself, looking around. I spot it not too far from where I’m standing, huddled under the awning of the church door- a silhouette of a pint on a sign above the door. Going around back- augh, it’s getting in between the greaves and  _ into _ \- I spot a trapdoor ‘hidden’ behind some crates through a wooden fence. I quickly run over and climb down the ladder, and I’m greeted with a sight not to far off from the Lord of Bright Port’s- what's his name? Whatever- accommodations when he was captured.

A small, carved out stone cave is divided into two by stone bars. On one side is a bed, a torch, some books on a shelf, a basin filled with water, and a flower pot and music box on a table. On the other side is a ladder leading out. Behind the bars is a woman whose name tag tells me she’s the one I’m looking for.

“Hola, étrangèr...a. Bonne après-midi! I’m here to rescue you! Or something!”

“Who are you! And what do you want!”

“Well, I’m Dallas, and preferably for us both to get out of here alive.”

“No. I want to be left alone. Just leave and pretend you never found me.” She says sharply.

“Uhm, Matilda? Yeah, I’m afraid no can do. I’ve travelled a very long way to get in contact with you.”

“How. Do you. Know. My. Name.”

“Well, first a guard told me. I’d come because there was a search for a lost baby, and a baby had recently mysteriously appeared in my village. He said you’d left a week prior, to look for your babe elsewhere. Then I found this  _ extremely  _ suspicious note in the church which referenced you by  _ name  _ and guided me to this place… so it’s only logical that you’re Matilda.”

“A… baby? What’s his name?”

“So sure it’s a boy, eh? I’d tell you, but I’m pretty sure you already know his name.” I take out the drawing Garroth had given me and handed it to her.

“You have Levin! Oh sweet Irene, why are you here?! Why did you- leave. You’ve got to leave right now.”

“Wait wait wait- you send out this nationwide search for him, and the second you receive news you’re sending me away?”

“No! No, listen! I- I can’t let those evil Knights get a hold of him! They’ll kill him!”

“Wait wait  _ what _ ?! What interest do Shadow Knights have in a babe?”

“He’s…” she glances around furtively, even though we’re under several meters of stone. “A descendant of Irene. The king wants all descendants gone before he returns to this realm. My husband was one as well, though he couldn’t speak with Wyverns.”

“Is… being able to speak with Wyverns a hallmark of being a descendant of Irene?”

“Of course. Though it’s hard to tell genuine from fake these days. If one can commune with animals, or uses witchcraft to make it seem like they can commune with Wyverns, they are more likely to be elected Lord. I know of many a crooked Lord who got elected like that. I no longer know a true descendant… other than my dearly departed husband.”

“Oh my, I’m… so sorry.”

“It’s okay. He was the Lord of Phoenix Drop, killed by a knight in training.”

“Wait wait wait wait- did you say Phoenix Drop? That’s MY village!”

“...That’s odd, I don’t recognize you. Is that- oh my god, does no one remember me? How deep and insidious is the king's curse? Does Garroth remember me?”

“The most he remembers is that Levin looks vaguely familiar.”

“Ah… I guess he wouldn’t, huh? I can’t expect him to be different, no matter how noble he may be.”

“So. How did Levin get to Phoenix Drop?”

“The only reason I survived the fire was because of an odd, quiet man. He was absolutely a Shadow Knight, but… he saved us, and brought us here. But around a week ago, he showed up, and I knew we were in danger. He took Levin and… I’m glad Levin is safe.”

“Okay. Alright. Let’s bust you out and bring you to Phoenix Drop!”

“No! Didn’t you listen! They already have my magic traced- taking me away from here would only put Levin in more danger! I only care about his safety- please. You must leave me here.” The raw emotion in her tone is surprising after the monotone or annoyed ways she spoke.

“Nnnnn… rrrrrr… uuugghhhh…. Hhh… ffffffffffffiiiinnnne. But I don’t like it. Let it go down on the record that I don’t like it.”

“Thank you. Here. Take this music box- it’s for Levin.”

I sit under an awning, brooding. The rain hasn’t cleared up, and the glum light has really helped the atmosphere. I understand it, logically. But she’s his mother. And she loves him. So she should raise him. Ugh! 

I have to stop ruminating. Get up. I have to go home. How’s it sound to sleep in a real bed again, huh? I glare at the rain. It’s barely a drizzle now, I’ll be fine. But… I don’t wanna get up. Ugh. C’mon, up up up. Now walk.

I climb up the stairway, parkour over the mountains, and begin waking in the plains biome. Angrily. I glare at the blue sky when the rain clears up.

“Oh boy,” I say sarcastically, “it’d take a  _ real miracle _ to get me back home in time!”

I stop. And look around. And wait. And…. nothing.

“Well, guess that was too good to be true,” I mutter, and begin angrily stomping my way across the land again. I can see the maid café in the distance. Maybe Kawaii-Chan’s still there? It would be nice to-

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a towel being rhythmically shook dry. A shadow falls over me, and I looked up to see a… dragon? Glide and land on the plateau the café rests on. 

“HELLO?” I called, making my way up the plateau.

“Ah, Dallas! I thought that was you!” Laurence’s head popped over the side of the hill. “When so many days went by and you had yet to return from your journey, I grew concerned. But I am glad to see that you are safe now. After all- Oh sweet Irene, what happened to you!?”

“Oh, this?” I said, touching the bandages on my nose. “Nothing much. Just got into a fight, is all.”

“A fight?!” He cried, distraught. “I- someone should have accompanied you! What if you hadn’t won, huh? I thought my fears were unfounded…”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I said, making a mental note not to tell him that it was a Shadow Knight I was fighting, or that I lost. “Wouldja help me up, please?”

Laurence tugs me up onto the plateau, and I catch sight of what made that noise.

“A WY- a wyvern?!” I said, sounding strangled.

“Oh, don’t be scared! He might appear intimidating, but Ungrth is really a biiig softie! This old guy has been in my family for generations, and has been my loyal friend since I was very young! Hey- your village isn’t too far from Meteli, right? Ungrth can fly much faster than even a horse can gallop- he’ll get us there in no time! Unfortunately… he can only carry one person at a time, so one of us will have to ride in a golden lasso. What do you say?”

“Uhm, sure! I really wanna get back home. But, uh...” I trailed off.

“It’s okay. If Ungrth  _ will _ allow you to ride him, I’ll go in the lasso.” He said in a tone that strongly implied that Ungrth will allow me to ride him. I stared. I really didn’t want to find out what being shoved in a pocket dimension is like. Would it be cold? Hot? Would I suddenly experience the passage of time once I’m released or would I be perfectly aware the entire time? Is it dark? All important questions.

I approach the Wyvern. Laurence hangs back, too far to raise the hairs on my neck from how hard he’s staring. What a worrywart. So. Golden Wyvern, huh? This’ll be a piece of cake. (Or does that mean that it’ll be hard? Those sayings are so confusing…)

“Bo hofkin, mu… saraan?” I stated.

“Holy Mother of All, you speak our language?! No, that phrase… no wonder you smell of the magic from my realm! How did you get there?!”

“Oh, just some crazy old man gave me a weird staff...” I chuckled nervously.

“Then he must have done something horrible to obtain that staff. You cannot cross a closed border without much sacrifice.”

“So, um. Did you hear me an’ Laurence’s conversation?”

“Ah, yes. My human-kin offered to let you ride me? I’ll allow it. You told me words I haven't heard since I was a hatchling- ones that my sisters and brother barely remember- and for that, I am grateful. Perhaps, if you still have that staff… you could help me and my siblings return home?”

“Ah, maybe. Anyway. To Phoenix Drop! Laurence, Let’s go!” God I’m gonna be so happy to be DONE with venturing out for a long while!

“My Lord!” said Dale, “Thank Irene you’re back! Something terrible has happened!”

“No-o-o…” I groaned into my hands.


	16. In which I catch up on what happened.

Happy Halloween! this excuses me from having to do a chapter picture, right?

So here, have this!

Also, go check out chapters 14 and 15, cause I've updated their chapter pictures!

Lmao I can't believe I drew not only two characters that haven't appeared in the fic yet, but Laurence is in his post-SK form (AKA normal form)

“I can’t believe Zenix did that… I mean, I kinda can, but…” I slid down a wall until I fell onto my bum, knocking the air out of my lungs. Dale smiled sympathetically at me, no doubt remembering how tired I was after my last quest.

Dale coughed. “Thankfully, your idea with the mines worked wonders. No one in the village was hurt, nor were they found. The structural damage to the village itself was minimal, but your house… I’m afraid you’ll have to sleep in your own guest room for a while. Sasha was not evacuated. In the rush, we forgot she didn’t know what the bell meant, or the proper procedures. Thankfully, she is unharmed. We still haven’t told her where the villagers went during the attack, though the fact she keeps pestering us is suspicious in itself. Forgive me, my lord for saying this, but something seems off about that lady. 

Levin and Zoey are unharmed. It was obvious that Zenix was aiming for those living in your house. Thank Irene that Zoey happens to know barrier magic- if not, Zenix would have surely gotten inside. Garroth managed to cause him to retreat, but… I’ve known Zenix for a while now. The level of skill at which he fought- it's impossible to achieve in such growth in such a short time. I’m afraid to say so, but all signs lead…-“

“To him being a Shadow Knight? Yes, I’m aware. He told me so himself. In fact, this bandage here,” I gestured to my face, “was courtesy of him!”

“Good Irene, lass! Are you okay! When was this!”

“I’m fine. A good friend stopped him from doing anything nefarious with me- speaking of which, where is Garroth? I need to speak with him about her.”

“Garroth… Garroth is in the mines right now. He- oh sweet Irene, how are we going to tell him? That his boy is- is a shadow knight! That- that we shall think on later. Garroth beat a swift retreat after Zenix was driven off. The level of skill- I mean, sure, Azura and any other head guard could go toe to toe with Garroth, but- I’m rambling. What I meant to say is, Garroth’s helm was cracked in battle. For some reason, he doesn’t want anyone to see his face. For now, I have rounds to get back to, and I’m sure you want to check on your brother.”

“I do,” I said, pushing myself up. After that report, I really didn’t want to see my house. I mean, Aphmau’s house looked fine after the attack, but, well I shouldn’t get my hopes- GOOD GOD MY HOUSE! MY FUCKING HOUSE! What is this, the sacking of Jerusalem? Though, with Zoey’s barrier magicks, hopefully the interior- and the bulk of the house- fared better.

The external entrance is covered in dirt, so I have to descend down the ladder. I’m thankful to see Zoey with Levin, outside both of their rooms.

“Dallas!” I can’t tell if she’s smiling but her voice sounds happy. “You’re back- oh no, what happened?”

“I got into a little altercation during my quest, don’t worry about it,” I said, beginning to change into my home clothes now that I knew I was safe. Do tailors exist here? God, I hope they do. 

“Don’t worry about it! Child, you smell like you broke something!”

“Uh, um, I-I-I’m sorry, what?”

“The strength of the scent of healing potion wafting off your face alone indicate enough potion to heal a broken wrist!”

“I guess she was a little to liberal with her healing potions then, haha. Anyway, how’s Levin?” Please don’t notice the subject change, pleaaase don’t!

“He is fine- better than fine! I would rather lay down my life than to have anything happen to him! Did… did you find his mother?” She asks slowly, handing me the boy as if to invite me to verify that indeed, all is well.

“Yes. Oh, that reminds me! Here,” I said, plucking the music box from my inventory and shoving it into her hands, “that’s from her for him.”

“Wait? She- she doesn’t want him back?”

“No, she was… rather vehement about the entire affair.” Zoey didn’t reply for a while, as if thinking, before wandering into her bedroom, mumbling. “Well, uh, smell ya later, I guess?”

“Hellooo? Garroth? I’m coming in! If you want to uh, put a sack over your face or something, now’s the time!” I called, striding into the mines. Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something? Oh well, if I forgot, I guess it wasn’t important.

“Ah- Dallas-“

“Holy shit,” I stopped, staring at him. I mean, I know what PDH!Garroth and MS!Garroth look like, but I guess the suspense was getting to me. “You’re like… pretty? I guess? Not that I thought you were ugly under the helm or anything, hahaha.”

“My- My Lord.” Garroth said. “I have failed you.”

“Nonsense! You drove away ~~a~~ Zenix! And without anyone getting hurt! That is what I need from you- to get rid of threats to the village. Anyway, enough with this broody nonsense. I found Levin’s mother, but she didn’t want him returned, nor did she want to come with. In fact, it was her who sent ~~V~~ Stalker McForest with Levin. So, uh. Guess you're ours now!” I addressed the last part to Levin in a cutesy tone, bouncing him up and down in my arms. He gurgled happily, lips stretching to show that his front teeth have come in. “Aaaaw, you’re such a cutey-pie! Anyway, I have to talk to you about someone, just in case I’m not here when she arrives. She was a great ally on this quest, and I’ve invited her to stay here. She’s a Neko- a human with cat ears and a tail- and has bright pink hair. She will be wearing a maid outfit and will introduce herself as Kawaii-Chan. In the case I’m not here, direct her to one of the empty houses.”

“I am glad you have found a new friend, especially with a new-a new s-shadow knight- dear Irene, Zenix, oh Irene, my boy, my child how did this happen? Do you- do you know? Which Lord he- Lord he- k-killed to become- one of… them?”

“...he didn’t say,” I said, you know, like a liar.

“Well, this was some… heavy talk. I’m sure you are tired after the quest. I shall be here, thinking on our conversation.”

“Brooding, you mean.” He didn’t respond. “Well, I think I’ll take that advice. It’s been an eventful day!”

I bounced Levin on my hip as I walked back home. I was looking forward to sleeping in my own- SHIT, I FORGOT LAURENCE!

“I’m so sorry, oh my god, I’m SO SORRY-“

“Hey, hey, it’s okay! I would be distressed as well to come home to find my village attacked. Though… hm, never mind. I offer my condolences to your village, though it is Irene I will thank for none getting hurt.”

“Can you hear me?”

“Of course! The magic that is woven into those ropes requires a level of trust between the holder and the held- thus, only those willing can have their essences carried. In fact, Golden Lassos are why all meetings of import require one to empty their pockets at the door- it is a big vector for spies.”

“Oh, interesting! I didn’t know that!”

“You haven’t attended many Lord meetings then, I- who is that?” I follow his gaze to find Sasha, backing away before breaking into a run. 

“That- would you be so kind as to tell me that woman’s name?”

“Uh, it’s Sasha,” I replied.

“Why- why is she here? We all thought- we all thought… we all thought we died in the Nether- oh, dear Irene, please not her!”

“What, you know her?” Right, she’s from the same village as he is.

“She was the fiance of our previous lord. I- one can only hope that was a specter I saw, and not her in the flesh. If she’s alive… then it can only mean she’s fallen into the shadow king’s clutches.”

“Fuck!” I spit out, “I knew something was off about her! Let’s go!”

I pass Levin to Kiki, who happens to be standing close by. And by that I mean across the plaza. I sprint up the stairs, and around the corner, with Laurence in tow. Not seeing her, I bust into her house. 

“DALLAS! SASHA JUST RAN OUT SAYING SHE WAS LEAVING THE VILLAGE WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Yeah, that’s what I would like to know, Brenden, I thought, staring at the empty shelves. The only thing left, a book, seemed to repel my hand like it was a magnet of the same charge as the book.

“Dammit!” Hissed Laurence.

A new dawn, a new day. Last night was… eventful. And not just because of all that. Laurence and I got into a fight about who would sleep in the guest room, and then got into ANOTHER fight over me not having proper clothes. Apparently Cadenza is a tailor, so looking forward to that! I don’t know where he went now, though… is that Dale?

“Pfft! Women, amiright? Y’know, when I was that age, I was one giant hunk too! Women would come from miles around to gaze at my chesticles!”

“Your what?” I asked, adjusting Levin.

“Y’know, my pecs, my abs! I swear, they were strong as blocks. Now all I have is a keg. Oh well, more root beer for me, aye?” I followed his gaze to spot Laurence sitting next to Ungrth on the beach. Guess he’s heading out, now, huh? Makes sense. After all, he’s got his own village to look after.

I stride down the stairs- Huh. Looks like all the women in the village have come to see him off. Is… this what Dale was talking about?

“Oooh~ there’s a hunk on the docks over there!”

“D- Donna!” I gasped, scandalized. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Actually, fiance. And just because I can’t taste doesn’t mean I have to stop looking at the menu! Besides, Logan knows where I am. I’m not hiding anything!”

“Y- you’re engaged? Congratulations!”

...wait a second. That’s not a girl. That’s Brenden! Is he bi? 

“Hey, um Dallas?” Kiki asked quietly. “You- you know him, right? Does- does he like animals?”

“Uh… that Wyvern there is his friend…”

“Kekeke! You sound so uncomfortable! But oh! I got distracted. Dale told us what Garroth told him about Levin’s mother. What a wonderful woman… it’s such a shame we can’t help her. Um, I took in all of your animals, but the new animals I got while you were away were scared off. I’m sure they’re around here somewhere- if you see an elephant, let me know!” An elephant? Damn, where was she keeping it?

“Uh, Brenden?” I asked hesitantly.

“I’m just here cause the other girls are here and Sasha was a girl and maybe Sasha would be here if she-“ he choked on a sob.

“Um. There there?” I stiffly patted his shoulder. I just can’t be sympathetic because Sasha was, well. A shadow knight.

“She was so nice! And she liked me too… she said I was her Brenden-Boo Bumblebee…” he turned away from me, crying.

“Uh. Okay. I’ll uh. Leave you too it, I guess.” I descend down the remainder of the steps and join Laurence on the beach.

“It appears I’ve attracted quite the entourage… though that young man looks considerably more distressed than one should while gazing at me.” Laurence chuckles.

“Oh, he’s- he had a crush on Sasha. So. He is moping.”

“I… wanted to talk to you about her.”

“She left the village in a hurry after-“

“That woman looked so shocked to see me. If it was Sasha… she and we’re good friends.”

“Friends, huh?”

“It- it wasn’t like that. Sasha… she was like an older sister to me, growing up. I miss her dearly.”

“Well, I hope that Sasha wasn’t the same one. She… she was shifty, and suspicious, and kept on making thinly veiled threats towards myself and Levin. But… that Sasha left a diary. There seems to be some sort of spell on it. I think if we break the spell, and read the book, it’ll clear everything up.”

“Well, I do need to bug Castor about STILL not having returned Cadenza… shall we take a trip, m’lady?”

“Are- is she okay?”

“I- I don’t know. Cas… has a penchant for getting himself into sticky situations. But I’m sure he’s okay. Shall we?”

“Let me just check on my villagers, first. You can go on ahead, it’s only a short boat ride.”

“Alright, I shall meet you at the docks!”

“Garroth!” I called into the mines. “Coming down!”

He’s not in the same spot, but I find him the the rest station… someone had established.

“Good morning, Lord Dallas. I’m afraid I won’t be able to return to duty for a few more days, as my helm is not yet ready.”

“Okay, but why don’t you want people seeing your face? You look fine to me.”

“I… don’t want to keep anything from you, but my reasons are deeply personal. I shall tell you… at some point.”

“Understandable, talk to me when you’re ready.”

“Thank you. In the meantime, I’ve been down here gathering materials for the village. Please use it for the repairs. I can fight a battle, but the people around me don’t deserve to go through the aftermath.”

“Garroth…”

“Please.” I sighed.


	17. In which much is lost, but something might be gained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! look at me, updating on time and not letting half of a chapter sit in my google drive for another week! I'd blame school, but it's mostly my depressive episode to blame. YAY!

“Hello Dallas! It’s great to see you again!” Laurence enthused, holding out a hand.

“Yeah, you too!” I said, using his hand to help me down from the boat.

“Unfortunately, I have some bad news… Hayden and Kenmur at at each other’s throats! They almost physically harmed my second while I was gone during one of their fights! I’m sorry, but I haven’t been able to check on Cas, so could you?”

“I- sure!” Looks like he’s gotten less overprotective with the stress from his village. And around sunset, too!

“Uh!” I hissed through clenched teeth. 

“Goddamn skeletons” I tucked the bloody arrow into my inventory. 

“Uh,” I stopped, listening closely to the sounds of the night. There was one sound. One unnatural sound that didn’t belong in the night… “buzzing?”

I created the small hill to a sight. The torch spam lit up the area to reveal an odd figure standing in front of the chicken shaman’s house, and the blood around the chicken coop. This odd fellow was revealed, on closer inspection, to be wearing a beekeeper suit, and surrounded by a swarm of bees. I… didn’t want to initiate contact with him, to say the least. Taking a fortifying breath, I reached out and poked him.

“Woah! I wouldn’t go in there young madam! There’s been a slaughter! My bees and I could not make it in time to save them,” said Dr. Bees

“Uh, n-no offense, but uh, how would b-bees make the situation any better?” I stammered out.

“Bees make everything better! If there’s a problem, just unload a herd of bees everywhere! BEES TO THE RESCUE!” I slowly backed away, and then turned around and ran into the chicken shaman’s hut. 

Blood. Everywhere. The man- Dr. Bees was right. It must have been a slaughter. Usually things don’t bleed when I kill them. Maybe it’s an enchantment?

There’s a sign next to the chicken shaman’s chair. 

‘If you want the remains of your ‘people’ come to the Nether. If you don’t… you’ll only find their graves

xoxo

-Sasha’ 

At least Castor couldn’t have gone to the Nether, so I guess I’ll have to look around for him.

“Did you find what you were looking for?!” Dr. Bees startled me out of my reverie.

“Uh, actually, no. I was looking for Castor,” I said in my best customer service tone.

“Oh, well, why didn’t you say so! You just missed him! He used a magic ritual to create a purple glowing thing, and jumped into it! I’d show you it, but it disappeared just as he went through!” I stop. My eye twitches. GOD DAMMIT CASTOR!

“Ah, Dallas, you’re back! And just in time, too!” Laurence crowed. “The meeting between the Lord hopefuls just finished up! So, what did Castor get into this time?”

“An inter dimensional portal to the Nether. Which is gone now.” I said flatly.

“W-what?” He stammered.

“Sasha left a note in his hut that she kidnapped all of his chickens, and if he wanted to see them again, he had to go to the Nether. So, he went.”

“This isn’t good at all… if Sasha truly left that message, then…”

“Castor is in danger.” I sighed.

“More danger than you can imagine! Did you hear what happened to Lord Burt of Bright Port? He was taken to the Nether, and when he emerged he had lost his healing magic! Word about that traveled faster than you can say ‘Fried Chicken’!”

“I know. I was there.”

“You… were there?”

“Yeah.” I shifted, not meeting his eyes. He got so worked up after I fought a mob, I don’t know what he’ll do if he finds out I went into the Nether, alone, to save Lord whatshisface- Burt. I never told Garroth that either, I think.

“And… what does that mean?” He cajoled.

“I… wastheonewhosavedhim.” I mutter.

“You. Went into the Nether. Irene give me strength. Since. You’ve been there before. What could they want with Cas?”

“His magick. They fed it to that… thing. The Shadow.”

Laurence let out an explosive breath. “Alright. You wait here while **I** \- wait, how did you get into the Nether in the first place?”

“The wolf tribe near Bright Port has a portal. The won’t let you use it unless I’m there. It is much more efficient if **we** use that portal instead of collecting the ten obsidian ourselves.”

“ **You’re** not going to the Nether.”

“Yes, I am! If Castor loses his magick, then Cadenza might stay in her current form forever! **I** can get us to the Nether, **I** can navigate the fortress, and, as you don’t seem to grasp this, **I** can protect myself. I know you see me as a defenseless child, but I am the Lord of Phoenix Drop for a reason.” I took a deep breath, trying to let go of my annoyance. 

“We’re wasting time just standing here. ...Stay behind me in the Nether, and if I say run, you run.”

“...got it.” I badly wanted to shout at him that he can’t tell me what to do. “C’mon, lets go to my ship.”

“We’re taking Ungrth. ...Since you are on good terms with werewolf tribe, I’ll be in the lasso until we get through the portal.”

“Okay.” I put him in the lasso with more force then necessary, then went over the wyvern.

“The stars are weeping,” said Ungrth. “You must hurry.”

“Pup, long time no see! What brings you back to the pack?”

“I need to get to the Nether right now. They’ve kidnapped... a friend of a friend.”

“By all means, go ahead! I’ll have guards standing by to fend off any demons who come through. We shall have food and rest prepared for your return. Stay safe, pup.”

“Thank you.”

I strode into the cave, two wolves flanking me. One rushed ahead and lit the portal.

“Good luck,” the other said. I nodded. Took a deep breath, and stepped in.

With a flick of my wrist, I unveiled Laurence. Something about the Nether was setting me on edge in a way it didn’t prior. I grab Laurence’s wrist.

“Come on.” I strode over to where I had made the steps before, and ran down them. I abruptly stopped on the penultimate step, causing Laurence to crash into me. I would have gone flying if not for his arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me back upright. 

All of my attention was on the bridge. A single chicken walked around on the soul sand, in front of two guards decked in chitin armor. They couldn’t see us from where we were standing, but I could see them clearly.

“I’ll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right.” Without waiting for an answer, I jumped down the remaining blocks and ran over the netherrack path I had laid down last time. I peeked around the corner to stare at the guards, who seemed to be looking at something fascinating in the lava, and then checked back to see if Laurence was behind me.

I jumped and clutched my chest. Laurence was a lot closer than I expected. 

“Don’t run off like that!” He hissed. “ **I’ll** take the one on the left, you take the one on the right.” 

He ran around the corner. Like puppets both snapped their attention to him and ran towards him. When they were close enough, I stepped out, and ran the one closer to me through. The Shadow Knight didn’t have the time to raise their sword when a second swipe caused them to explode into particles. Laurence continued down the walkway, having dealt with his foe quickly as well. The next pair of guards rushed us, and with these we didn’t have the element of surprise. Laurence stepped forward to engage his foe, while I raised my sword to parry a downward swing. I stopped letting myself be distracted by the sound of clashing metal and focused on the guy in front of me.

I tilted my sword, causing their sword to slide off mine and away from his body. I took advantage of the opening to swipe twice at their stomach, before drawing my sword back towards me to prevent them from doing the same. We exchanged several blows, the force vibrating up the blade and into my hand. Our swords locked momentarily, allowing me to summon my shield to my off hand.

While their attention was on my sword, I slammed the shield into their foot, and used their flinch as an opening to stab my sword through their head. Beside me, the sounds of clashing metal had grown quiet.

“Onward,” said Laurence, walking so quickly that I had to run to keep up. He dealt with the guard in the doorway with three efficient swipes I couldn’t help but admire. A second guard rushed forward, and while their attention was on Laurence, I dispatched them with a punch to the gut and two swipes to the head.

“Up these stairs,” I said, walking forward. A guard awaited us at the second landing, but between the two of us they were toast. At this rate, we’ll be back in time for lunch! We decimated the guard at the second landing as well, but my focus was more on what lay past them.

The grey of the iron bars stood out against the deep red of the fortress bricks. Several chickens were on the cage as well. To my dismay, the Shadow was there as well. ‘Weakened Shadow King’ hung above its head in red.

“Psst! Chicken Shaman!” I gave my thanks to god that Castor was one of- the only person I could talk to without having to touch.

“Hmm? Oh!” He lowered his voice. “Whaat?”

“Are you okay?” I whispered.

“Oh yeah, no, I’m in this cage cause _everything’s_ fine.”

“That’s good. Are you hurt?” whispered Laurence, who was suddenly behind me. Startled, I drove my armored elbow into his emerald-plated gut, and barely managed to suppress a shriek. Because both of our armor was made out of minerals, a loud ‘thunk’ sounded out. I froze, staring at the Shadow, while the two friends continued to whisper above my head. When it showed no signs of having noticed, I took this opportunity to sneak into the chamber with my pickaxe.

“Great! Go kid! I have aaall the faith in you!” Castor said quietly. I mined the bars away, and gestured for Castor to come out. 

“Okay! I knew you could do it! Hey, do I know you?” He said, addressing Laurence.

“Yes, you do! Now come on!” Laurence said exasperatedly.

I rushed towards the door, when suddenly, my arm felt 

so

cold.

Burning pain lanced down my arm. I turned around, sword in hand, and shrieked, “It’s attacking!”

Because it didn’t wield a weapon, I couldn't stop it’s attacks from landing, but I could feel every time my sword struck it.

“Through here! I can construct a barrier!” Castor yelled.

We got behind him. With his staff in hand, Castor seemed to transform into a different person. With quick, military movements, he touched his staff to the floor, and then the ceiling. As if he was using world edit, bricks filled in the entrance to the chamber.

“Alright, that should hold him off for a bit.” Castor seemed to have returned to his normal self. I was already halfway down the stairs when I realized Laurence wasn’t beside me.

“Laurence?” I said.

“Dallas. Remember that promise I had you make if you were to come on this mission?”

I swallowed. “Yeah?”

“ **Run.** ”

“No, Laurence-“

“I said, **RUN!** ” He growled. I took one glance at him, then down the stairs, then back at him. I swallowed my objections, grabbed one of the many leads Castor was holding, and _ran_.

“Well, that was nice of him.” Castor commented. I opened my mouth to yell at him, but an explosion interrupted my thoughts. Above, a ghast let out its trademark screech.

“Nooo! My chickens!”

“Now’s not the time!” I yelled, speeding up. 

“They’re on fire! This is all your fault! I like my chickens nice and not burnt!" I patted out the fires that had started and ran up the stairs, not checking to see if he was following. I let out a dry laugh. 

“Move, bitch! I don’t give two fucks about your chickens, just go out and find some more! WE. HAVE. TO. GET. TO. THE. PORTAL!!” He shut up after that, silent as we dove through the purple mist.

I slumped to the ground panting. I would destroy the portal, but Laurence needs it to come through.

“How come you don’t seem to give a crap about Laurence? Aren’t you two friends?” I asked.

“Oh! Laurence! Him and I go waaaay back. He still owes me five dollars…”

“REALLY? He just sacrificed his life for you!”

“Okay! Then he owes me… two dollars.”

“Uggh! I swear, they’re right about you! Crazy! I swear, I should’ve left you there and kept the change… anyway. I didn’t just rescue you for any old reason. Sasha left a book sealed with magic in my village. Can you unlock it?”

“Well, you DID single handedly kill all the survivors of my village… but you did save me… and it was nice to see Sasha- no, Laurence again.”

“Did. Did you see Sasha by the way? In the Nether?”

“Nope. No no no I did nope no! No I did see any one no no no. Just Timberly and I, hanging out, having a few drinks in the jail cell.”

“Who’s Timberly- doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter. Anyway, can you help me with this book.”

“I… I will help you with your book.”

I sighed, trying to release my anger with my breath. “Thank you.”


	18. In which I'm like, two seconds away from crying, and read a shittily written diary.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me last monday: Oh look at how much I've written.  
> Me this monday: Fuck.

Happy thanksgiving, everyone! I drew up this little comic on thanksgiving but now I realize that Actually, Garroth thinks that a turkey is just a brown chicken.

“Okay, Castor. This is Phoenix Drop, my village. Don’t touch anything, and stay where I can see you.”

“Irene, kid, you sound like you don’t trust me- oh! A chicken! I’m infinitely more interested in this chicken than replying to you!” I stopped paying attention to him after he said the word ‘chicken’. Instead, I looked at the docks, where I was surprised to see the moonlight glinting off of my head guard’s diamond shield. I lept off of the S.S. Aphmau instead of parking it, mildly concerned about the reason Garroth was waiting for me all the way into the night.

“Garroth!” I called, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, m’Lord, only that you took longer than expected. What about you? You have cuts in your face, and soot on your armor, and- have you been crying?”

“No, I-“ I took a deep breath. Thanks to society, I engaged in the pointless ritual of denying tears, because they aren’t ’manly’, even when I _know_ that’s bullshit. “Uh, Laurence… L-Laurence. He-“

My voice broke on an aborted sob. “It’s, uh. It’ll be better if I start from the beginning. Ok. So, Laurence- he was the one who brought me back from Scaleswind. However, upon seeing him, Sasha- you remember Sasha, right? Anyway, she fled the village. She left was a book, sealed with magic. Zoey didn’t know how to break it, so I went to enlist the services of the other magic user I know, Castor the Chicken Shaman. That’s the guy- what is he doing? CASTOR, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“N-NOTHING?” He called back, freezing with the chicken in his arms.

“Whatever. Not my problem. Just… Anyway! When I got there, I discovered that Castor had been kidnapped, like Lord, uh, Burt. So me an’ Laurence went to the Nether to rescue him. However, an enemy I had no problem defeating last time I was there had grown considerably in power, causing us to abruptly flee the castle. Laurence- L- he insisted on staying behind to buy us more time. B-but it’s okay! Laurence will come through the portal any-“

“What? Didn’t you hear?” Castor interrupted me, causing me to jump in fright. “The Nether portal exploded!”

“..........A-ah. Well then. I. Uh. Th-there’s plenty of lava in the Nether, he can make a portal real quick! And- and”

“We can build our own portal. He is a man of great honor and skill, it would be shameful to not rescue him!” Garroth said confidently.

I gave him a watery smile. “T-thanks. I’m, uh. Gonna have Castor unlock Sasha’s book now. Since she was a Shadow Knight-“

“She was a Shadow Knight?! Thank Irene that she didn’t hurt anyone while she was here!”

“H-have you talked to Brenden at all since she left?”

“Ah. I spoke too soon.”

“Anyway, the book might have something in it that could help us help Laurence, like the location of a secret Nether portal somewhere around here. Walk with us?”

“It would be my pleasure, M’Lord.”

As the light peeked over the trees, Garroth, Castor, and I walked through the village. Because of the early hour, everyone was in their homes. Well, almost everyone.

“Jesus Christ, Brenden?” I said, speeding up.

“Oh, not again,” muttered Garroth.

“Not again?” I whirled around to face my guard. “Has Brenden been trying to, uh- actually what is he doing? Trying to drown himself in a few inches of water?”

“He’s…. moping,” Garroth said exasperatedly.

“Ughhh, Dallas? Is that you?” I looked over to the boy- uh, man, in question. “It is! D-do you ever think I’ll ever find love again?”

I eyed him critically. Now, I’m no expert on straight women, being neither of those things, but, “Not like this you won’t!”

Castor leaned over him, shaking his head. “You smell.”

“... I guess you’re right… it’s just… Sasha had the hottest cubes I’ve ever seen…” Beside me, Garroth made an offended noise.

“Cubes?!” I said, distressed. 

“Y’know,” He said, failing to elaborate.

“No, I don’t- Y’know what? Imma just uh, leave you to it! Yeah.” Garroth muttered something under his breath. 

“Well, that was interesting. Here’s the house.” I opened the door and gestured inside. “And here’s the book.”

Castor held a mug of beer (where did he get it??) and began waving it above the book. “Iiii aaammm nooot sooo druuunk-oooo.”

The pages of the book seemed to flutter, but instead of the sound of paper, it emitted what sounded like the lovechild of ‘nails against a chalkboard’ and ‘microphone feedback’. Rubbing my head, I asked, “is it done?”

“Yup, no that’s good, yes, the book has been unlocked, I’ve done it! I am still a great and powerful magician!”

“Great. Can I um. Read it?” 

“I, too, am curious about what it says,” says Garroth.

“Of course, of course. Let me just-“ we all struggled for a moment to rearrange ourselves in this tiny space.

“Alright, let’s see…

 _‘They left me to die that day… everyone capable guards and magic users’_ uh, is this a typo? The grammar seems weird-“

“Just read it, Dallas,” sighed Garroth.

“Okay.

_‘In Meteli had been summoned by none other than myself. Joh, our Lord, has been taken in the midst of night under my watch. I know who took him too, it was that shithead…_

_Shadow Knight, Gene, from Mataki Village. Gene died. I know he did, but he came back as some Irene-forsaken demon, and I had to take a chance. I knew he lived in the bridge to make our escape from the Shadow Lord’s castle I fell. Hordes of Shadow Knights…_

_began to swarm me and as I fought them off away from everyone, I saw them leave me. I frantically tried to get to them, but a Ghast had blown the bridge and I fell in. They didn’t even try to save me as I fell into the lava… they left me to die…._

_Oh… Laurence… the Shaman… Everyone… I never felt so betrayed in my life. When I woke up, I was in pain, but I saw Gene… Gene told me everything, how everyone left me… I was angry, but Gene brought me back to life…._

_As long as I pledged my loyalty to the Shadow Lord who would never leave me behind. In order to gain full control of my new powers I needed to kill the Lord whom I guarded as a human, I needed to kill Joh. So I did, I sat in wait to take Joh’s life…._

_And when I did, Laurence was unable to stop me. I should have killed Laurence too. Kenmur my love… I’m sorry. I know we were meant to be but, I must now do as the great Shadow Lord commands. I must kill all Lords who exist to make…_

_Way for the King’s rule. The Shadow Lord and the King will bring this realm to prosperity. If I have to kill in order for this to happen then I shall. I’m not the person you once knew Kenmur, but I am a better person for the good of humanity…._

_I hope you can understand this._ ”

“...”

“...”

“Oh my god, Laurence!” I burst out. “What- what if he’s convinced that we purposefully left him behind! Oh my god! Wait- Castor, was this why you were so… cavalier about Laurence sacrificing himself earlier? Because of… Sasha?”

Castor sighed, standing on the bed with a beer in his hand. “Laurence and I had… a fight. About going back to get Sasha. I wanted too, he thought it was… too risky. Gene had… tethered Sasha to himself with dark magic, and pulled her into the lava. She told us to save ourselves… that she loved us… me more than Laurence, of course. But, it seems that this Gene changed her memory, or at least the way she saw this event. This- this is terrible! We- we have to go rescue him! Why haven’t you been trying to save Laurence?!”

“HEY. Don’t talk to her that way!” Garroth interceded. “We’ll gather obsidian immediately! We already had planned to!”

I stayed quiet. Laurence… I knew he would come back. After all, he’s a fixture in the other series I watched. But he was different. Brown, short haired. Blue eyed. Is he wearing contacts? No. I… know something is going to happen to him. Some deep, half-remembered feeling. But, in the end, he’ll be alright.


	19. In which Levin grows and I watch four people make a suicide pact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha sorry i missed a week, I had basically all of it but the last two paragraphs typed up and waiting to be posted, but then I had  
> Three tests  
> Two essays  
> One project  
> (and a partridge in a pear tree)  
> this week, so.
> 
> Also, that project was a short game, which you can play here: https://snap.berkeley.edu/snap/snap.html#present:Username=24blackberries&ProjectName=U3-Project

I don't really know what the chapter art should be for this one, so have this scribble sheet!

I sighed melancholically. Not that I wasn’t happy about Levin growing… well, I wasn’t. But I should be happy. After all, he can’t be a baby forever. But now that he is a toddler, I can’t hold him anymore… not really, now that he is all right angles and blocks. The one human touch- chubby fingers and pudgy cheeks- gone. 

“Dallas, why are you in the forest? I’d’ve thought you’d be out in the village, showing off Levin.” Donna squatted down beside me as I tried to calm my racing heart. I hadn’t even heard her approach.

“Just enjoying the peace and quiet. It seems to be in short supply nowadays.” I bounced a sleeping Levin in my arms, and passed him off to Donna when she started to inch closer to him. “What about you?”

“Oh, I was just searching for you! Garroth mentioned you’d be out here. I um, meant to ask you, um. You remember how me and Logan got engaged?”

“Yeeees?”

“Well, um-  _ We’d like you to be our flower girl _ !” 

“Oh!” I said, surprised. “O- of course! Um, who’s the maid of honor?”

“Molly! I figured, since she’d already gotten married, she’d know what to do!”

“Know what to do? Like… advice? Molly didn’t really have a big ceremony- or any ceremony, really- so I’m afraid that you’re out of luck on that front.”

“Hehe! No, silly, she’s planning my wedding!”

“What!?” I screeched quietly, so as not to wake Levin. “Wh- why would you do that?”

“Less work,” she said shamelessly.

“I thought you stopped taking advantage of people,” I grumbled.

“A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do,” she says playfully. “Now c’mon, let’s go show off this little man!”

“One,two… forward, three... swipe,” I mumbled under my breath.

“Stop!” Garroth called. He jogged down the slope and began adjusting my stance. “The sword is not as heavy nor as long as you think it is. You are leaving yourself open. Again.”

I took a moment to try and memorize the stance he put me in, and drew back into the first stance.

“Step.. one, two… forward, three… swipe-“ my mumbling was cut off by the sound of a thick cloth being shaken out. A shadow blotted out the sun for a moment, and then dropped onto the beach.

“Ungrth!” I cried, dropping my pose.

“No- Dallas-“ Garroth said futilely.

“What are you doing here?” I asked joyfully.

“I can sense your concern for Laurence… he is in no danger.”

“But… that doesn’t mean he’s safe,” I said quietly. I remember that the priest in Scaleswind said that only descendants of Irene can speak to wyverns, and… I eyed Garroth out of the corner of my eye. I may trust him with my life, but I don’t want him thinking that- I don’t know. It just… I’m not from this world, so I don’t want people to see me as tied to it, like physically or whatever. Or it could be, since I’m in Aphmau’s body… wait. “He’s alive! I mean, of course he’s alive, but… how do you know!”

“Dallas… he and I are bonded in spirit. We are brothers, kin. But… our connection has become broken, or rather, tainted. The only thing that can break or alter such sacred magic is such magic so dark and twisted even your human magic users have banned it.”

“Magic like… the Shadow Lord uses?”

“Yes. Laurence may still be alive, but he is not who he once was. DO NOT head into the Nether, for it is a trap. They want YOU to complete his transformation.”

“Why me? I’m not his Lord.”

“Because there is no Lord in his village, they are going for the last Lord he protected with his life. For your life, he will become immortal.”

“He- he would-“

“For him, he’s been in the Nether for over two weeks. As you humans would say, only Irene knows what he’s been through. For both your sake and his, please do not go into the Nether.”

“What about you?”

“I do not follow.”

“What will happen to you?”

“I will be waiting for him, until I too become tainted. I shall stay at the site of the Nether Portal. My kind and the tribe’s go back many generations. Do not grieve for me. Wyverns are strong. Farewell.”

“wait Wait WAIT-“ my voice was drowned out by the sound of beating wings. “Aaaand he’s gone.”

“My Lord?” said Garroth.

“Let’s just complete the lesson. After that, I’ll be heading to Bright Port with you.”

“As you wish.”

“Fucking stairs,” I grumble. I made have made an art of going down them, but going up stairs remains a hatred of mine. Garroth had jogged ahead- apparently the ‘super secret guard meeting’ he set up after reading the journal required some preparations. “Oh my god! Paul! I haven’t seen you since the baby shower!”

“Haha, long time no see Dallas! How is Levin doing? Bah, don’t answer that. We can catch up later. The guards are waiting for you in the secret meeting room on the second floor of the old infirmary. Go on, now!” Old infirmary? Well the only place with a second floor is that place across from the blacksmith- yup, here it is. Not really secret if you ask me.

Oh god, it looks like every guard I’ve ever met is in this room! Which is, admittedly, five people, plus Brian. When did he get back from medieval boot camp?

“Ah, good, you’re here. We can start,” said Garroth.

“Alright.” Yes! I didn’t stutter!

“We need to discuss the Nether.” He addressed the room at large. “The Ancient Evil is trying to revive itself. Three hundred years ago, it was vanquished, and fled into the Nether. Since then, we have enjoyed relative peace. However, Lords, guards, and magic users alike are going missing, only to be found dead, drained of magic, or to come back as a twisted mockery of themselves. We all know the Oath of the Guard. It has not been necessary, but with the rise of evil, we must face it head on. Once you sign this oath, you will be honor-bound to take your life if possible, if you become tainted. Take time to think on this before signing your life away.”

“ _ hhhholy shit _ ,” I muttered. “ _ Hardcore _ .”

“Brian, we welcome you with open arms to the guard of Phoenix Drop. Son of Guard Dale and Molly from the village of Phoenix Drop. Guard of Lord Dallas. Apprentice to myself. If you choose to take this path, then know that there is no going back. The Oath will be what you live by. I’ve signed,” said Garroth.

“I’ll sign,” said Kenmur’s guard, whose name tag changes from ‘Kenmur’s Guard’ to ‘Ulrich’ with the strokes of the quill

“I’ll sign,” said Azura, passing it along.

“I’ll sign,” said Brian, accepting the book and the pen.

Everyone turned to look at Hayden’s guard. “I… give up my position of guardsman. I cannot promise my life, but I’ll be forsaken if I let myself be turned into a weapon against my loved ones.”

_ A bridge. Stone bricks. Pigmen walk restlessly on it. Lava on either side of the walkway. A dark red castle rises forebodingly ahead. _

_ Scene change. A pedestal, with a dark red carpet draped over it. A familiar man rests on top. _

_ Laurence. _

_ He’s asleep. A wraith stands over him, white robes flowing, and skin black. Red ember eyes glare from beneath a hood shadowing its face. Normal for a wraith. Behind it is a Nether portal, bracketed by flames and stone and yet more obsidian. _

_ Laurence draws a rattling breath. _

I sit up in bed so suddenly that my vision swims. What the. Fuck? What the fuck?” I gasped. That dream… was strange, and disturbing, and didn’t feel like a dream. The night is still deep outside, but my heart is racing in my chest. I want to go… do something, but I need more sleep. With a deep sigh, I hunker down for a restless night.

“Bad dreams?” Zoey said sympathetically as I bounced Levin in my arms. 

“Some like that,” I say with a tired smile.

“Alla! Alla!” Is Levin’s contribution to the conversation. He’s likely wondering where his food is. Hmmm… the house that a Levin’s parents owned is out in the woods. Levin seems to be growing slow, but with Brian returning to the village an adult, I’ve been thinking. How long until he needs a house of his own? I can’t expect him to live with me forever, adopted siblings or not.

“You wanna take a field trip~?” I say to Levin.

The forest is quieter than I expected, making my footsteps seem almost too loud. The shadows underneath the trees seem unnaturally deep, and the hairs at the bale of my neck stand on end at the feeling of eyes on me.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Levin doesn’t seem to notice, too busy tugging on my hair to look around.

“Okay, here- ouch, Levin, OUCH-“ I untangle his hands from my hair and set him down. “Here we are! I know it doesn’t look like much- there are piles of charcoal and a hole in the floor- but it used to be your parent’s house! They’re dead, by the way- which is why I built  _ our  _ house IN the village, not so far away that by the time anything wrong is noticed the deed has already been done. Haha, I’m rambling a bit. Anyway, someday, you’re gonna grow up! And quickly, too, if Brian is any indication. When the time comes, you won’t be able to live in my house anymore. So, I’m going to fix this up for you!”

Levin gurgles happily, not understanding a word. I survey the ruins. Alright, first things first: expand the floor plan. The house is a pretty decent shape and size, but once you try to section things off into rooms is when you’ll realize just how small it is. Perhaps I’ll mirror the right side over to the left, make it bigger. Two floors, definitely. And big windows. Four blocks tall on the inside. Balcony? Sure, I can make that an overhang for a porch. Oak logs for the corners, maybe birch planks for the walls? I’ll switch out the floors to stone bricks. And- and I’ve run out of materials.

I look up at the sky. More time had passed than I thought. I’ll have to sprint back to the village to make it there before any mobs spawn.

“Alright Levin,” I called, readying the golden lasso, “time to- hoLY SHIT, YOU'RE STANDING? WALKING? Wow, the growth of minecraft babies- wait where are you going?”

Levin walks in slow, jittery steps towards the front door. His steps speed up as he gets outside, practically running until he stops in front of-

“Laurence?” I breathe. He turns around, slowly. His eyes are still green. “Holy fucknuts, you’re- I mean, of course you’re okay, but- but- but-“

My heel hits the block behind me. I can feel my heart racing in my chest. “You’re wearing Shadow Knight armor. Have- have you come to kill me? I must warn you, I won’t go down without a fight.”

Laurence stares, too still. My hand itches to summon my sword, but I stand still, waiting for him to make the first move. The newly healed wounds on my arm throb, a reminder of the last time I went toe-to-toe with a Shadow Knight. Then, just as abruptly as he showed up, he turned away and ran.

“Hey, Laurence! LAURENCE! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS- aaaand he’s gone.” I purse my lips staring in the direction he ran, itching to go after him. But all thoughts of pursuit were dashed by an unholy shriek close by.

“Alright, pumpkin, let’s get you home.  _ Fuckin brat. _ ” I said affectionately.


	20. In which I experience many emotional upheavals, and have a new (though not life threatening) crisis on my hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'I'm going to update regularly!' i promised myself. 'It will be mostly on time and I won't drop off the face of the earth for months at a time like my favorite A03 authors do!'  
> I am a dirty liar.   
> I am so sorry. It's been, what, three months? four? I mean, first I got a bunch of games for christmas, and then I had midterms, and then I was on winter break... though I still found enough time to beat two games, get pokemon sword, and watch season one of Kipo and the Age of Wilderbeasts on Netflix. I really have no excuse...

“Garroth.” I said.

“Hmm?” He didn’t even look at me.

“Garroth, I need to talk to you.”

“Who’s a cute little boy~! You~! You are~!” He cooed.

“Gawa! Gawa!” Levin replied.

“Garroth,  _ I n e e d  _ to  _ talk  _ to  _ you _ .” I gritted out.

“Not now, Dallas. Can’t you see I’m playing with your brother?”

I sighed, aggravated. It had been four hours since the incident, and I had yet to tell anyone. But… as a Shadow Knight, Laurence poses a security risk to the people of this village. To… me. As such, I should inform my head guard about it. And… if we capture him, maybe we could…. cure him? Fix him? No, those both sound wrong. Help him. We could help him. “Garroth, it’s  _ i m p o r t a n t. _ ”

“Fine, what is it?” he says, finally looking at me.

“I saw Laurence.”

“Dallas, that’s not something to joke about! I understand you’re grieving, but-“

“That’s not a joke,” I said, giving him a flat look. “Last night, when me and Levin were at the old Lords house, Levin started ...crawling. I chased after him, only to find standing outside the doorway, Laurence, in full Shadow Knight armor. He looked at me when I said his name, and then fled … ( _ north, east, south…)  _ west. ...His eyes were still green.”

“Oh sweet Irene, that’s…. Understood. I will take the necessary precautions immediately. How… how did he even get here?”

“They have their own Nether Portal. After all, the other Shadow Knights were running around long before the tribe of Bright Port opened that portal. Perhaps that’s where he fled.”

“Alright. Take your brother. Apologies, but I must bid you farewell, my Lord”

“Bye bye, Garroth. See you soon.”

And if that wasn’t turmoil enough, Logan had fallen sick. The wedding was on hold. Though… the doctor’s description of Logan’s symptoms sounded awfully like Little Red Riding Hood describing her ‘grandmother’... I’m sure it’s nothing.

At some point, Garroth had sent Raven out to gather some playground equipment for Levin, so to put my mind at ease, I built a play area for Levin. Then, I put a fence around it, just in case. I came back inside to find Zoey incredibly still and silent, looking down at Levin in her arms.

“Um, are you okay-“

“You know,” she said, “I had a son once. But… I never got to be part of his life.”

“Oh- oh I’m sorry, Zoey. That must have been… hard for you.”

“It was my fault. I… did something I shouldn’t have, went somewhere I wasn’t allowed… studied magic even though it was incredibly forbidden because the high councilors are gatekeeping bastards… and got banished. My husband was able to rescind it once he got on the council, but by that point my son had already grown up. I tried, you know. To be a part of his life. Of course I did. I love him. But… he had already made up his mind about me. And my husband had grown cold in the century we were apart, so… I left. I’ve never regretted something nor delighted in it more in my life.”

“I…” There were many things I wanted to say in this moment. Like  _ that’s rough, buddy,  _ to diffuse the situation, or  _ why me _ ,  _ why are you telling me this _ . I wanted to ask how old she was, since she was banished for a century. I wanted to ask if she missed him, or ever went to visit. But what I said instead was, “Do you want a hug?”

“Thank you child. You are so sweet. Levin is lucky to have a sibling like you.” She leaned into me and rested her chin on top of my head. Her arms trembled and I could swear I felt something wet in my hair.

“Y’know, I um, built Levin a play area… I bet he’d appreciate some company.”

“Brenden, go home.” I said. He was crying under a tree next to Sasha’s old house.

“I- I’m starting to see Sasha now. I swear I saw her in her old house. We built that together, y’know…” he trailed off with a sob.

“Brenden, you’re being ridiculous! There’s nothing in there-“ I said, yanking the door open. A transparent model of Sasha stared right at me. It didn’t seem to react to my presence, looking away. I slammed the door in its face. “SEE? NOTHING THERE!”

“D… a… l… l… a… s…” I step back into the house. 

“You left Laurence behind… just like they did to me…”

“Shut the fuck up you trick ass bitch. That’s a lie and you and I both know it. Do you even remember the incident? Or was Gene the one telling you about it. Why would you believe him? Did it never occur to you that he might have a, y’know,  _ higher agenda _ when he was talking to you? Did it never occur to you to  _ ask _ the other people in the situation what happened instead of relying on one point of view? No, it didn’t. Cause you’re an old-ass looking motherfucker who seems to think that her and her fucking boy band are gonna do some good by starting a war. Like that’s ever helped anyone! Oh, yeah, sure, murdering people by the thousands is gonna bring about a new age of peace and prosperity. Get your head out of your ass, you fucking carton of Almond Breeze milk.”

“I was there! I saw the whole thing! Laurence will become immortal through any means possible!”

“What, Laurence is gonna, what, fucking water the soil with my blood? Laurence? Please, his will is as strong as a Nokia. Unlike yours, which is like a popsicle stick made out of balsa wood.”

“I don’t know what any of those things are, and I don’t care. You’ll just be dead soon.”

“Enjoy that fantasy, you mashed potato wait- no, mashed potatoes are good. Enjoy that fantasy, you YouTube ranter who talks exclusively about art community drama!” Sasha vanished. Ha! Who needs an exorcist when you can just deliver a sick burn!

“Oh hey Brian, enjoying the village?” This was the first time I ran into the junior guard after the... uh… suicide pact. He looked spiffy, in his cool grey armor with blue trim.

“I- Uh- yes- uh- my- my- my… do… Do you prefer to be called Lord or Lady?”

“Lord, please.” 

“Huh, weird, my dad calls you Lady… uh, did you need something?”

I squint my eyes at him. I’ve already hit all of the other villagers… an evil grin starts to creep across my face before I mustered my expression into a flat, yet earnest one. “Say… Brian… how would you like a dog?”

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to have one, but-“

“GREAT!” I shout, shoving a dog token into his chest. “Just smash it on the ground, and you’ll get a dog. See ya!”

Kiki says Logan is turning into a werewolf. I’m… not surprised. I only overheard her worrying about it. She begged me not to tell anyone else yet, and to let him stay- I told her not to beg. That was disheartening. I… can’t believe that she thought I would kick him out of the village.

To take my mind off of that, I go looking for Raven. Garroth said he had a small cave to the west of the village. I need to look for it to meet him, like a test or something.

Since Bright Port is south, west is… inland. Perhaps… under a hill? I look for small divots in hills, or cave openings. Since Raven is small, the cave might not be so large, but it should be big enough for a human to get inside. I have no luck close to the village, so I head further inland. Night falls, and I give up the search… only to see light spilling out from underneath a tree. Looking into the sunken entrance, well… it’s clear that I’m in the right place. There’s gold and emerald and diamond ore, and four- no, five golden Wyverns, including Raven.

“So they found us. Garroth has a lot of faith in this one,” says Raven. 

“Well, I-I-I sure hope so,” I replied.

“Stars above, it speaks!” says one of the other ones. Are all Wyverns so rude?

“Um, your… mom... asked me to deliver a message… ‘Bo hofkin, mu saraan,’...”

“Thank you. My name is Raven. I am the oldest living wyvern in the realm. Please excuse my sister’s rudeness.” I stare at him, and say nothing.

He shifts and lifts his chin. “Size has nothing to do with my age.”

“Hey, I didn’t say anything.”

“By speaking those words, you have signaled that the barrier between realms will open again soon. We will soon see whether or not either of us has learned from last time.”

“Last time?” I ask. “Oh right, that war.”

“Yes, that war. Do not speak about it so blithely- thousands died on both sides. About four hundred  _ thousand _ total sentients died.” Sniped one of Raven’s other siblings who hadn’t spoken yet. Huh, that’s less then the state of Wyoming. No, I shouldn’t think about it that way. I mean, if eighty percent of Wyoming’s population suddenly died, I’m sure everyone would freak out. And in terms of population percentage, it was probably like… the Black Death or the Mongol Conquests or something. I mean, not every war can compare to the World Wars.

“So, if the realm barriers or whatever- the veil between worlds- is thin, does that mean you guys will go home?”

“No. It requires the sacrifice of sentient life to cross the realm barrier now, a stipulation put in place by Irene to make warmongers think twice. The thinning of the veil, as you put it, will only lessen the requirements. According to the treaty, one member of a species killing a member of the other species makes the treaty null and void. We are not that desperate to go home. Unlike…. others.”

“.... others?” I ask tentatively.

“I have five siblings. But we do not speak about the eldest. He… was willing to do whatever it took.”

“And leave us here!” The biggest one piped up. “So we declared him Ungrth the traitor! That way, he wasn’t allied with wyvernkind- and it wouldn’t cause a war!”

I very carefully don’t move my face. They don’t speak of him, after all. Maybe that was why Ungrth was so… accepting of his death.

“Anyway, you passed our test. If you need any one of us to carry letters or want one of my siblings to deliver packages, we’d be happy to do so.”

“Oh oh oh!” Said the larger one, holding out one leg and balancing awkwardly on the other. “I’ve got a letter for you, from this pink haired nekomimi!”

Kawaii-Chan? “Thanks!”

As I walked back towards Phoenix Drop, I read the letter.

_ ‘Dear Dallas- _

_ Kawaii-Chan hopes this letter finds you. A priest told Kawaii-Chan that she cold use the golden wyverns to send messages- which is very cute and very useful! But that is not the point of this letter. As you know, Kawaii-Chan has to leave her home. But… she’s been having a hard time finding a new place to live, and with only one maid left, it’s a bit hard to build anything. Kawaii-Chan was wondering… perhaps I could come live in your village? Not forever, but long enough to get me back on her feet. If that’s not okay with your Lord, just let Kawaii-Chan know. Thank you for reading! _

_ Ciao!’ _

I’d have to pen a reply in the morning, but I already knew what it would be- absolutely!

“Logan’s condition is getting worse. It’s not long now before his transformation will be complete. I don’t have an exact time, but time is running out. I sent Donna out to gather some herbs I said could help Logan’s fever… but once they are married it will be hard, if not impossible to keep this a secret.” Kiki said softly.

I stared at Logan. Every so often, he would move a bit and let out a small whimper or moan of pain.

“I’m going to go speak to Donna. Not tell her about this- that’s between them, but just to check in on her,” I said.

“Okay, you go do that,” Kiki replied. I don’t think she actually heard me.

Thankfully, Donna wasn’t far. Just down by the docks.

“Heeey Donna,” I said awkwardly.

“Hello Dallas. Kiki sent me out to gather herbs for a tea. I’m just really worried about him, you know?” She sighed.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. Say…. do… you like dogs?”

“Dallas, this isn’t really the time to try pawning off one of your dog tokens onto me again. I still don’t want a pet.”

“Right right right. What…. what about  _ werewolves _ ?”

“Well that came out of left field- oh, are we getting a new resident?”

“Kinda,” I hedged.

“Well… when I was a kid, my village was attacked by werewolves. I’ve been afraid of them ever since… but I won’t let that impact how I treat a neighbor!”

“Oh. Okay! Okay! Bye Donna!” That’s not good!


	21. In which Kawaii-chan moves in, and I settle a local dispute.

It was time for a shower. After many hours of hard work, the building I was working on was almost complete. The first floor was mostly made out of stone brick, and had bars instead of glass. The inside was divided into two. In the front, a desk sat in a mostly empty room with a few benches. The back half had a small walkway leading to some stairs up to the second floor, and three two by three rooms made out of obsidian. They’re a bit recessed from the back wall, so the building didn’t have a random patch of obsidian on it, but the hail cells were almost impenetrable. Yup, that’s right, I’m building a guard building. 

The second floor was made out of wood. The stairs led up to an unfinished stone building on one of the corners, but that’s for later. It was supposed to be a watchtower, but the dirt box I built to keep this project a secret was only so high. There was a larger house, and a smaller house next to it. The bigger one was fully furnished, and was for Garroth. It even had a proper roof, not just a flat one! The second one was basically a room with a bed and some basic amenities, and was for… Brian, I guess, if he didn’t want to live with his family. But it was an apprentice shack. I figure if I get more guards they won’t live in the guard building like the head guard does.

Anyway, Garroth had been working hard lately, so this should be a good break for him. When he wasn’t taking care of Levin, he was running patrols around the village, trying to spot Laurence or any other shadow knights. He was also the secondary administrator for the village. While I was the one who assigned mine, farm, and lumber shifts, Garroth advises me on things I didn’t have a grasp on, like accurate hourly wages and shift length and rotation. I had yet to build a main storehouse for the village, so Garroth helped me keep track of everything we were storing haphazardly in the mines. I really should organize it, but I want the storehouse to be separate, and I feel putting so much effort into a temporary location might make things permanent.

Yeah, a lot of work, huh? He says he was doing all this stuff since the Lord died, so it’s actually less work. He’s refused to take a vacation, so I’ll just make him take a week to sort things out at the guard department. It’ll be grand. I hope to have everything ready before the wedding.

Anyway, back to the present moment. I need a shower. But I can’t take one quite yet, I mused, looking at the large ship occupying Phoenix Drop’s small bay. A man in sailors gear greets me.

“Aye, I come ‘ere from O’Khasis. Got a lass aboard who says she was welcomed ‘ere- cute lil’ thang who calls ‘erself Kawaii-Chan. Do ye know if she be telling the truth?”

“Well if it’s Kawaii-Chan, then of course! This was quicker then I thought,” I exclaimed.

“Good, good. Not tha’ she seems like a liar or anythang, is jus’ that she really seemed set on this place. Ye be lucky ‘aving such a cutie around. She’s inside, go on ahead.”

“Cool!” I head forward onto the ship. Nana sits in the… brig? Is that the inside of the ship? Nana’s sitting on a plush couch, figurative nose buried in a book.

“Hey Kawaii-Chan!” I said.

“Dallas!” She jumps up from her seat to hug me, book wholly forgotten. “Oh Irene it is so good to SEE you! Thank you thank you thank you so much for getting me permission to stay here!”

“It was no problem! I owe you my life!”

“Now, don’t be dramatic, you would’ve been fine. Hey- why do you still have bandages on your right arm? The cuts should have healed by now.”

“Yeah, they are, it’s just… the bruise still hasn’t faded.” I rub my arm.

“Hmm… that’s not right. Do you have a doctor that can look at it?”

“Well, I don’t think it’s serious enough to go to Bright Port. I mean, Kiki- that’s our resident nurse and animal lover- said there’s nothing wrong with it. Anyway, speaking of the village, c’mon! There is a house to choose!”

“Do… do I get a café?” she asked quietly.

“Well there’s not one right now, but as soon as I’m done with this current project, I’ll get started on it!”

“Thank- thank you,” she murmured.

“Think nothing of it.”

“N-nothing? This means everything to me! So- where are the houses?”

I giggle. “Right this way!”

As we near Sasha’s house, I notice a suspicious lack of ugly sobs sounding through the area. Brenden seems wholly focused on me and Nana.

“Okay, so, I think this’ll be good. The other empty one is a family house, but this one is two floors and pretty spacious if I do say so myself. Across from you is our librarian, Emmalyn, and at the end of the road it another empty house, but it still has some of the previous resident’s things in it. I don’t recommend it as she was a potion brewer.”

“This is perfect! Thank you Dallas!”

Satisfied with a job well done, I head over to heartbreak city.

“So Brenden, finally done with moping, eh?”

“Dallas…. who was that?”

“Why, our newest resident of course! Her name is Kawaii-Chan, and she will own and run her very own maid café. She saved my life while I was out searching for Levin’s mother.”

“She… saved your life?”

“Yup,” I nodded. “A true knight in shining armor.”

“Wow…” he breathed, and I finally recognized his tone.

“Aw, Brenden, not again! You were just crying over Sasha!”

“... I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful and strong as her…” he sighed, but in a good way, a romantic sigh, which was actually bad.

I coughed. “Sasha?”

“Why… why did she come here?”

“Why dontcha ask her yourself, if you’re so in love.”

“B-but what if she doesn’t like me? Ugh, how do I approach a girl like  _ that _ … Wait, she’s new, does she need anything?”

“Please don’t be creepy, Brenden, remember that’s she’s a human being and for the love of god don’t wear a fedora. But you’re actually nice, you’ll be fine. Actually, her maid café isn’t exactly… built yet. If it helps, you can say I sent you.”

“Yes ma’am- er, sir- er ma’m,” I raised an eyebrow, amused. “Sir- uh, captain!”

He saluted and ran off as I stifled giggles.

“Brian?” While it was nice to see the apprentice guard, this was usually designated Garroth-plays-with-Levin-and-absolutely-does-not-cry-when-Levin-says-his-name time.

“Levin’s real cute, ain’t he. Oh, we’re on guard duty while Garroth settles a local dispute. Hehe, Levin sure gives my pa a run for his money! Ahem- M’Lord.” I look over to see Levin literally crawling circles around Dale.

“Alla!” Levin crows when I approach.

“‘Ello m’Lady! Yer little brother here sure is a handful, ain’t he!”

“Yup!” I grin, collecting Levin. I wonder where Zoey went?

I find her downstairs, mixing some formula up. And ain’t that a trip. Fucking medieval setting and there’s formula. Next thing you know, it’s gonna come out that I could’ve had a toilet rather than a hole above some lava this whole time.

“Hey Dallas! Got our new resident settled in? Another magic user, eh? I look forward to meeting her!” Zoey says, as if it isn’t creepy at all to be able to identify magic users at a glance. I transfer Levin over to her once the bottle is ready. As I usually take care of Levin during the night, I decide to check out the local dispute. Probably the plaza is where it’s at. 

Ah. A standoff between Kiki and Donna? And where’s Logan? Ah- he must have transformed and was all like ‘woe is me! I am a beast now and must hide away from those who love me!’ and Donna wants to see if he is better, and Kiki is just caught in the middle of this trying to respect the wishes of her patient.

“Dallas, I’m trying to keep this situation from getting any worse, but Donna’s getting hysterical…”

“Lemme guess, Logan’s hiding away and Donna wants to see him?”

“Well, yes, he did, uh,  _ get over his fever _ , and uh, is, as you put it, ‘hiding away’. Donna is… accusing Kiki of uh… trying to uh… quote: ‘steal her man.’” Garroth said that quote so flatly that I have to smother laughter. I decide to take mercy on him.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Dallas!” Kiki said, “I’m not interested in Logan, he asked to be sequestered away, tell her!”

“DALLAS KIKI STOLE MY MAN! HOW DARE SHE! SHE’S PLANNING ON HAVING HIM STAY AT A HIDEOUT AND WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING SHE’S GONNA ELOPE WITH HIM! I KNEW SHE WAS JUST PLAYING THE SWEET GAME!”

“Look Donna, that’s definitely not what’s going on here. Kiki’s love is already taken. I’ll talk to Logan and it’ll all sort itself out by sunset. But you are acting unreasonably right now and causing a scene. There’s a guard on site for Christ’s sake. I’m sure you’re just overwhelmed from worrying about Logan so much the past few days, but even if Logan was cheating on you with Kiki, you should be yelling at him instead of her, for not being loyal to you.”

“You’re right! WHERE IS HE!”

“Hold on, I’ll go talk to him and it’ll all be fine. No one’s cheating on you.” Donna grumbles, and I take that as an invitation to walk away.

The mineshaft looks like a proper one now, with log supports and lamps hanging from the walls. Of course, this detailing gives way to strip mining and torches once you really get down there, but nonetheless it is pretty. I take a right into our storage room, a mess of barrels and double chests. 

Despite the fact that I can see Logan’s nametag through the chests, I just couldn’t seem to find where he was hiding. That was until I noticed a strange gap in the wall between two chests in the corner. There was a block of space between the chests, and someone seemed to have put a door in there.

_ Gotcha _ , I thought.

“Logan,” I greeted tersely. There was a bed and a chest in this room, but that was it.

“Well, if it isn’t LORD Dallas…” he says.

“Logan, just… why are you so mean to me? Do you find pleasure in bullying children? No matter- you need to come calm down your fiancée ASAP- she’s really, uh, worried about you having disappeared.”

“That doesn’t matter… I suppose karma has come to collect- by turning me into a beast…”

“Aren’t you only a werewolf at night though? And hey, a wolf pack is one of our greatest allies, don’t talk down upon them like that!”

“Yes, but Donna… I’m not sure she will understand…”

“If she loves you, she will accept her inner furry.”

“Furry- what? No, I don’t care. Donna didn’t get with me for  _ love _ , nor did I… its a merchant thing, but… I don’t even know if I can be a merchant anymore…. my whole life, my reputation, everything I have ever worked for- is gone. No one trusts a werewolf.”

“Well… here in Phoenix Drop, we do.”

“What?”

“We trust werewolves here. Ask Kiki about the Bright Port pack some time.”

“I…. thank you. Even though you are so young… I can now see why you are the lord of Phoenix Drop. To be honest, I thought it was stupid to have aLord so young, and that you pawned all of your duties off to Garroth, but I was wrong. Can… can you tell Donna that I have something I need to tell her? If she leaves me… she deserves better. Can you bring her here just before sundown?”

“Sure. Just so you know, she might assume the worst.” With that over with, I decide I’ll tell Donna the meeting time, and then finish Garroth’s present.

“So… can I look now?” Garroth asked, amused. I had managed to convince him to catch up on Levin time by staying in the basement of my house. He ended up falling asleep.

“No!” I pouted. I had worked very hard to get the tower finished overnight, but I was happy to say I was pleased with the result. “Okay, now you can!”

He took the blindfold off, and stared. And stared. I shifted from foot to foot, biting my lip.

“Well?” I prompted, after what seemed like a short eternity.

“Dallas, what is this?” He asked, sounding genuinely confused.

“A guard post, silly!” I giggled. “C’mon, I’ll give you the grand tour! This is the reception, and those are the holding cells, and up here, well, the big one is your house, and the small one is for if any other guard wants to live here, and that’s the lookout tower!”

“I-Dallas… this is too much… I…” I take him by the hand and lead him inside his new house.

“Nonsense! God knows you’ve been working yourself to the bone. Plus, the Napoleon villages had one, so I figured we need one too.”

“I… there’s a crib in here.” He sounds faintly bewildered.

“Yeah, do you expect Levin to sleep in your bed when he’s here?”

“Levin… staying here?”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re legally his father right? I know you don’t spend nearly as much quality time with him as you would like.”

He sits down hard, and just… doesn’t say anything for a while.

“... Dallas?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“No problem, man, I- oh, we’re hugging now. Yay! Hugs are great.”


	22. In which I tie up some loose ends to progress the story, and have a very trippy dream.

“And with that… you two are parents! Congrats!” These two non-sentient villagers had wandered into one of the family houses and set up shop there, so I made them a family! There were three family sized houses- Molly and Dale’s, Donna and Logan’s, and now Corey and Emma’s.

Speaking of which… only Molly and Dale had moved into their house. I should go check on them, see how they’re doing.

“‘Ello, Dallas! We can’t thank you enough for building us this house- in fact why don’t you join us for dinner! Molly caught something special!” He gestured to the kitchen counter, where a chicken sat. A… red chicken.

“Dallas!” said Molly. “It’s so nice to finally be able to talk to you! Thank you for presiding over our wedding and for helping us with Brian! You really didn’t have to make a new home for us!”

Helping them with…. Brian? “You’re, uh, welcome?”

“You should really stay for dinner! I’m making chicken stew- Brian found this rare red chicken. My mother told me that her mother told her that her mother told her that if you eat the flesh of a red chicken, you gain immortality. Now, do I believe it? Maybe, but it’s unlikely.”

“Uhh…” I stared at Cadenza. She cocked her head, as if to say ‘ _ well? Help! _ ’ “... actually, that chicken… belongs to someone. A nice girl named Cadenza from Meteli.”

“Oh! It is? I’m so sorry! Brian and Dale just brought it home and gave it to me. By all means, if this is that girl’s chicken, take it back to her! We have plenty of chickens outside to use in the stew.” Oh right, I did put a chicken coop in their backyard. Without waiting for them to reconsider, I snatched Cadenza up in my golden lasso and left. 

Okay. This was supposed to happen, right? What. What do I do now? Um. Since this is magic… I should probably take her to either Nana or Zoey. Hmm. I’ll try Nana first.

“Dallas! Brenden has been so helpful! He’s been helping Kawaii-Chan remodel this place- er, Kawaii-Chan hopes you don’t mind.”

“Go for it!” I replied. Brenden just seems to have carved a hole in the side of her house for now, but… whatever works for her, I guess. “Actually, I was hoping you could help me with something.”

“Oh?” I place Cadenza down on the floor. “Ah, I see what you mean. Hello there, my name is Kawaii-Chan!”

Cadenza replied with something that might’ve been, “My name is Cadenza. Pleased to meet you.”

“Great! Well, now that you two are acquainted, do you think you could get her back to her original form?”

“Of course! Kawaii-Chan’s magic deals with the spirit! Since it’s simply her body that’s been changed I’ll make her spirit undo the transformation! You see, once a spirit becomes comfortable inside a body, it imprints on it. Since human spirits are created in the womb, humans are born with their spirit already imprinted in their mind. The quote-unquote blueprint of the body becomes what the spirit perceives as normal, and the spirit always wants to be in that form. Deviations from the norm is where dysphoria comes from. She’s probably experiencing a bad case of it right now, considering she’s a chicken and not a human- oh no, I’m rambling again. I’ll stop boring you and get to the point. I’ll allow that part of her spirit that’s striving to get back to quote-unquote normal to use my magic the undo the transformation. But… as she isn’t a magic user, much magic will be lost in the channeling. Once I allow her spirit to use my magic I can’t cut it off, so if her spirit uses too much of it I could pass out or even die. To circumvent this risk, I have a barrier spell, but it’ll take a few days to set up.” She smiled at me. “So I’d- Kawaii-Chan advises you two to come back at the end of the week!”

“Wow…” I breathed you’re really passionate about this aren’t you?”

“Well, of course! It’s my life, my family’s life!”

“You weren’t boring me. It’s always fun to listen to someone talk about their passion. We actually have another magic user in the village, Zoey- who’s a barrier mage! Would that work, for the ritual? Spell? Whatever it’s classified as?”

“A barrier mage would be perfect! In fact, if you could get her over here, it could be done right now!”

Cadenza said something that might be, “Get her over here,” but I prefer to think of it as, “Oh Dallas, thank you so much for helping me with my predicament even though you were in no shape or form obligated to do so!”, to which I’d reply, “No problem!”

Of course, she didn’t say that, so I just gave a thumbs up and left to go track down Zoey. It wasn’t hard, she had just handed over Levin to Garroth. Apparently he wanted to break in the crib I put in his house.

“Zoey! We need your help!” I said.

“Of course! With what!”

“No time to explain!” I said in my best grandiose tone. “Come with me!”

I grabbed her hand and ran back through the village.

“Zoey, Kawaii-Chan, Kawaii-Chan, Zoey!”

“Alright, Dallas, this’ll probably take a while, why don’t you take Brenden and leave?” said Zoey.

“Alright!” I smiled and gave them a big thumbs up. Brenden seemed to be off in his own little dreamland, not even reacting when I dragged him away from the house. He was mumbling something… names? Names for… their fourth child’s grandchild. No, great-grandchild.

I dropped him in the middle of the road. Perhaps Levin will be happy to see me?

“Dallas, thank Irene you’re finally here!” Garroth cried, holding a crying Levin and sitting in front of a cell… with Donna in it?

“What?” I said, bewildered.

“You have to take Donna to Logan, it was awful, I don’t know what half the words she said meant and I was scared for Kiki’s life so I put her in a cell… I’m an awful guard, you can’t just put one of your own villagers in a cell, I'm sure it’s in the rule book somewhere…”

“I’ll take it from here,” I said, patting his shoulder. “Why don’t you go upstairs.”

Garroth sniffled and nodded, getting up and retreating up the stairs.

“Donna… are you… okay?” 

“I’m so sorry! I can’t believe myself! Oh Irene, I have to apologize to Kiki! I mean, we’re not close friends, but she’s been caring for Logan and I’ve just been such a  _ bitch! _ ” She gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh my god, forget that word sweetie, you never heard it.”

“Donna, I’ve been using the word bitch since I was eleven. Chill.”

“Who- what? Who taught you that?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just… just here,” I pressed the button above the door to her cell, “follow me.”

“O...kay. Where are we going?”

“Follow.” I’m sick of all this pointless angst. 

We reached the mines and Donna still hadn’t said a word. I navigated the storage room until I found Logan’s hideout.

“In here,” I gestured.

She gasped. “Logan!”

“Donna.” He said tiredly. I left to give them some privacy. Behind me I here’s Donna yelp, and then Logan began to speak. The moon was obscured by thick rain clouds, and I found myself hurrying to take shelter inside my house.

Dark, red. Nether bricks. Grey bars, a cell. A teen sat hunched in a corner of the cell. He wore this weird forest green half corset thing over his chest. It looked like someone had just taken the top half of a piece of green leather armor, especially with the weird green-grey hood he wore over it. It was lined in black, and was connected to shoulder pads of the same color that kept it closed. Underneath the armor, he wore a long sleeve shirt the color of oak leaves, and around his waist was a titled lime green sword belt. The sheath was empty. He had grey gloves on that went up to his elbows. His pants were a slightly darker shade of green, but they disappeared behind a pair of poleyn- armor knee pads- and greeves- calf armor- that ended in a pair of leather boots.

I couldn’t tell who he was. Half his face was covered with dark brown hair, and then he wore this grey and green checkered face mask. All that was left was a single green eye, glaring balefully through the bars- though the effect was ruined by smeared eyeliner and lines of mascara running down his face.

The subject of his stare- a young women, probably in her late twenties, with long white hair and purple eyes, wearing a black hoodie, with the hood up, slate grey thigh high, and a pair of black booty shorts- snorted and adjusted the sword at her hip, and turned around. 

She went outside. A man stood by a parapet, looking down. His orange hair had been choppily cut to be concealed behind a helmet that he wasn’t wearing. His green eyes were at struggling to focus on anything in particular, and his olive skin was smeared with ash. 

I joined him, looking out among what I at first thought was a netherwart farm, but turned out to be rows of soldiers in red and black armor performing drills soundlessly. One perfectly manicured hand toyed with my long white hair.

“Hey new guy,” I said, “don’t feel bad. Before you know it, you’ll have forgotten about your old life!”

“I don’t want to forget,” snapped Laurence. “I have a duty to perform- Sasha… do you really not remember who you are?”

“Nope!” I giggled.

“Sasha, why? We were friends, you have to-“

“Oh calm down,” I tsked, “your emotions are everywhere. Don’t worry, once your transformation is complete, those things won’t bother you ever again!”

“.... When will the Nether Portal be fixed?”

“Oh, impatient, are we?” I giggled. “I was the same way!”

“I’m not going to hurt her! She’s just a kid!”

“Well, stupid Vylad over there broke the portal to save her and the idiotic shaman, so you aren’t going anywhere soon!” I smiled. He said something, but it sounded like there was cotton in my ears. I responded, but the sound of static was too loud for me to hear what I said.

It stopped. I swayed on my feet, supporting myself on the rough texture of Nether brick. I took a deep breath, but coughed on the pungent smell of sulfur and ash.

“Sasha!” cried Laurence reaching out towards me.

“Haha, whaat the fuuck,” I mumbled. “This is such a weird nightmaaaaare…”

“Sasha?”

“I knew a Sasha once. Two Sashas! One was a girl and the other was a boy. Apparently it’s short for Alexander or Alexandria? Wild. Must be some Russian thing.”

“Sasha, you’re not making any sense.”

“None of this is making any sense. Like, if the Nether Portal is broken, then how did you appear in the overworld? Was it a projection? Was I hallucinating? If I was hallucinating, then why did Levin levitate over to you?”

“Sasha, your eyes are glowing.”

“Ahaha, siiiick. But I’m not Sasha.”

“What?”

“C’mon Laurence, you know me, it’s Dallas!” I giggled and did jazz hands. “Ta-da!”

“What?”

“Mmmmmm. Yeah I don’t know either. But come home soon, okay? Everyone’s really worried. I’m gonna wake up now, so you should probably let go of Sasha’s body.”

And then I woke up.


	23. In which I get a new villager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm like ten episodes away from the end of MCD season 1.... let me tell you, I have plans. PLANS. you won't like them. Or maybe you will.

My head hurt, so much. Just… I could feel the beating of my heart through my temples, and it echoed through my ears, a steady pounding. Wait, no. That was actually someone knocking on my door. I… should go see what they want. I should get up.

I turn in my sheets, sighing. One hand reaches out, and slowly, laboriously, opens the trapdoor keeping the sunlight out of my room. With a flick of my fingers, sunlight flooded the haphazardly repaired bedroom. I groaned, quickly turning away from the window and shielding my eyes with my hands. It seemed like the person that was knocking had enough of waiting, because the door to my bedroom burst open.

For a second, it seemed like a woman with long, messy, wavy brown hair, a striped grey shirt, and overall shorts stood in the ruins of the first floor of my house, shouting at me. Then I blinked, and Donna stood there, in all her blocky glory.

“DALLAS LOGAN AND I ARE STILL GETTING MARRIED!” Donna screamed.

“That’s great…” I grumbled into my pillow.

“JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW!” And then the door slammed behind her and she was gone. 

“fuuuuuuck…” I moaned.

“Uh, excuse me?” A soft voice spoke right next to my head.

“GAH!” I sat up suddenly in bed sheets drawn to my shoulders, but when I blinked away the dots enough to survey the room, there was no one there.

“Oh, yeah, hold on,” the voice said. A moment passed, and then two. Just as I relaxed enough to let the bedsheets slip down to my waist, my bedroom door opened.

“Ah, hello, I’m Cadenza, I don’t- OH SWEET IRENE!” She gasped, turning away. “Um- um, I’ll just wait out here while you… yeah.”

My door closed. My headache still hadn’t gone away, and it was making it hard to think. I reached under my bed and pulled out my makeshift tunic. It had seen some wear and tear, and was now more russet than rose. It had small rips around the hem, and some stitches had torn, but it was still serviceable for walking around the village.

“What,” I said, opening the door.

“Uh, well, I just wanted to thank you for helping me turn back into a human.”

“Don’t thank me. Zoey and Na- Kawaii-Chan were the ones who did it.”

“Well yes, but you are the Lord of this town, right?” And my nod, she continued. “Those mages would have never been able to help me without you. And even then, they only did so on your orders. Plus you saved me from becoming a stew! Though Molly is quite nice, now that I’ve gotten to know her.”

“Ok um, hold on.” I sighed, stepping fully out of my house. “ _ It’s too damn early for this… _ ”

“Actually, it’s noon..?”

“Exactly.”

“Wait,” Cadenza said, “you’re not going out in that, are you?”

I looked down at my tunic. “Yeeees?”

“Isn’t that… your pajamas?” She sounded somewhere between scandalized and curious.

“...No?”

“Is that all you have to wear?”

“.......Yes?”

“Th- that just won't do! You’re a Lord! Okay, it’s settled. I’ll make you a wardrobe, fit for Irene, as thanks for saving me.”

“What.”

“I’m a seamstress-slash-tailor by trade, I’ll just need your measurements first, and what’s your favorite colors?”

“Uh.. sunsets…. uhm, I’m sorry, what?”

“Yes, and what’s your gender.”

“Huh? What?”

“Male or female? As a lord, you’ll need formal wear, and I’d hate to make a dress or a suit for the wrong gender. Oh, excuse my forwardness, I just get like that when I’m talking about my job.”

“Uh…. yes? Anyway, you’ll be wanting to go back to Meteli, right? If you go down to the docks, I’ll be back within the hour to sail you there.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose,” she demurred.

“No. It’s not that. Your father and your admirer blamed each other for your disappearance. It was taking everything Laurence had to keep them from tearing each other's throats out.”

“Well, all my sewing supplies are in Meteli… and it will be nice to see my brother again.”

“Your… brother?” I asked.

“Yeah, Laurence! Didn’t he tell you? I suppose not.”

“Uh. No one told you, did they?”

“No one told me… what? What!? What did no one tell me!?”

“Uh, Laurence is away right now. He’ll be back soon. I don’t know when, but… within the next week, maybe? Two weeks?”

“Oh, thank Irene, from the way you were phrasing it one would think Laurence died! Where’d he go?”

“...”

“Lord Dallas?”

“The… the Nether.”

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” she said sweetly. “I could’ve sworn you said the Nether, but that couldn’t possibly be right.”

“Castor got… lured in there. So we went to rescue him, but then someone blew up the portal from the inside, so he’s stuck there for a little bit.”

“So why did you say he’d come back?!” she wailed.

“Because he promised me he would. And he doesn’t seem like the type to break promises.”

“Oh… sweetie… you’re just a kid, aren’t you…”

“Yeah,” I said suspiciously, “what’s it to you?”

“Oh, nothing!” She said with faux cheer. “I’ll go wait by the docks!” 

I watch her go with eyes narrowed. That was weird. Whatever. I have to talk to Garroth to tell him I’m leaving.

“So.. you’re going Meteli with this ‘Cadenza’ character?”

“Yup.” I had gotten changed into my armor, and had my sword on me. I don’t see what the problem is.

He sighed, and it echoed weirdly inside his helmet. “Please… be careful. While I don’t know enough about the village to gauge the situation, Meteli just lost its head guard. Have you spoken to her about Laurence yet?”

“Yeah, I told her he was away.”

“Dallas!”

“What?!”

“You can’t lie to her like that! When she finds out the truth, she’ll be mad at you, and rightfully so!”

“I didn’t lie to her-“

“Dallas-“

“I told her that he was in the Nether!”

“D- Dallas, you do know…. that when people go to the Nether, they don’t come back.”

“Lord Burt did! And so did Castor! Plus, Laurence  _ promised _ me he’d come back!”

“If Laurence comes back, and that’s an ‘if’, he’ll be our enemy, you know that?”

“No!”

“Dallas, he-“

“NO!”

Whatever Garroth was about to say got cut off by Levin’s cries. Oh right, midday is Garroth time. 

“Aw fuck,” I muttered, rushing over to the crib. I picked the toddler up and started bouncing him on my hip.

“Let’s go to the garden,” I sang, ” You’ll find something waiting/ Right there where you left it/ lying upside down./ When you finally find it/ you’ll see how it faded/ the underside is lighter/ when you turn it around.”

“Dallas-“

“Everything stays,” I sang slightly louder, “right where you left it./ Everything stays/ but it still changes./ Ever so slightly/ daily and nightly/ in little ways/ when everything stays.”

“Ok, we’ll talk about this later. I’ll take care of the village,” said Garroth, defeated. I felt kinda bad, but I knew Laurence was coming back, and I wasn’t going to pretend like he wasn’t. Levin’s cries had quieted, and I put him down. Levin’s little hands gripped my fingers, and he pulled himself onto his feet.

“Wha-“ Levin let go of my hand and took a wobbling step, then another.

“Alla! Daddy!” Levin crowed.

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

“His first steps…” Garroth’s voice sounded suspiciously wet. “They grow up-  _ *sniff* _ -so fast”

Yup, he’s definitely crying. “Okay, I’ll be back! Take good care of… of… my b-brother, okay?”

“Of course, M’Lord.”

“CADENZA, MY LOVE, YOU’RE OKAY!” said Kenmur.

“MY SWEET BABY GIRL, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” exclaimed Hayden. Needless to say, everyone was happy. I tried to hang around the door as unobtrusively as possible.

“Daddy… Kenmur… I’ve been through a lot these past couple weeks and... I have made it a very difficult decision. I decided that... I- I want to live by myself and another village. I know I’ve lived in Meteli for a good portion of my life, but... the feeling of heading out on my own and finding my own way in the world. It was the best feeling I’ve had in a long time. Please, I am asking you to consider Daddy, allow me to move into Dallas’s village - it’s not too far and you can come visit whenever you want. A-As long as lord Dallas approves my request to stay among their people.”

I choked on my spit at her words. “W-what?!”

I looked up to find all three of them looking at me. “Uh, hahaha… sure…? I guess?”

“T-thank you so much, Dallas. Daddy, I’ll be in good hands with them and their guards.., please consider it?”

“My baby… on your own? The very thought hurts my heart, but… as much as it pains me to say it… you’re a grown woman, Cadenza. I can no more force you to stay than I can force a bird to never fly. And… it’ll keep her away from Kenmur…”

“Maybe we should… step out,” said Kenmur to me.

“Yeah, yup, what a great idea! We’ll be outside!” I stammered.

As soon as we stepped outside, Kenmur broke down. “W-w-wha… Cadenza… why… would she… why she… leave? Why? I… I love her… does she love me…? I haven’t told her my feelings… oh… um… what… I think I need to lay down…”

“Okaaaay then!” I sucked in a breath through my teeth and began edging away from him. With a thump, he collapsed face-down. “Kenmur? Buddy? Oh yeah, he’s out cold…”

What should I do now? I didn’t want to wait here- I had a village to get back to. To be honest, this last week had kind of been filler. But now that Cadenza was back, Laurence could come back at any time! I didn’t want to miss it! Though probably not right this second. Maybe tomorrow, or the next day. But soon. The plot couldn’t just… not progress. I mean, what’s next? The wedding, right? 

I don’t remember much about the wedding besides the fact that it  _ was _ an arc, which meant something happened. Laurence comes back before or during the preparations, and it leads directly into the… fluffy werewolves arc? Werewolf war arc? Laurence gains his cannon appearance for every other Aphmau work after this one somewhere between them. Also Danté (isn’t he like… a reckless ladies man? A less pathetic Travis? Eh, Travis is Aphmau’s bro, but I think he burnt his, Garroth’s, Danté’s, and Laurence’s house down during the beach season of MyStreet.) joins the crew during this? And the spooky house? And Aphmau has like… at least one more son she adopts. And Aaron is somewhere in the future too. Well, those are problems for a future Dallas to worry about.

“Okay, I’m ready to go now.” Cadenza stepped in front of me with a big bag in her hands. At some point she must have left Hayden’s house but I just hadn’t registered her. Looking up, I was surprised to see I had lost an hour or two just thinking about the future.

“Sure!” I said, standing up and stretching. “Let’s bust this joint!”

It wasn’t a long ride back to the village, and I showed her the spot I had in mind. With Nana’s café and Emmalyn’s library right around the corner, it seemed better to have the at-home shops centralized. Plus, it was right across the street from the guard station (probably what it’s called?) so if Laurence decided to move in with his sister, he’d be close to work, or if he moved into the guardhouse (that sounds better) he’d be close to his sister. I even built the house to be like a shop, with a little front area for customers, a back for work, and an upstairs to live in. Sorry Nana, for not thinking so far ahead.

Before Cadenza could respond, her father butted in. Yeah, the guy had come along, to bring her luggage or whatever. The SS Aphmau isn’t really built for three people to ride, but… he was here anyway.

“Lord Dallas. It is with absolute sincerity that I ask of you to allow my daughter to reside in your village. In return I will make sure the villages of Meteli and Phoenix Drop maintain good relations and… you will always have a friend in Meteli, no matter what. What say you?”

“Uh,” I replied eloquently. “I-it would be an honor to make your daughter one of my people.”

“Such a dignified response. I can respect that. Honestly, it makes me feel much more at ease knowing that Cadenza will be left in respectable, if young, care. I had thought you like Kenmur before, because of your age, but I am gratified to see that I was wrong. This isn’t actually all of her things, but I hired a few movers to help her get everything together. I may have to leave her and let her discover the world on her own, but… as her father, the least I can do is see her off to a good start, right? Thank you again, Lord Dallas, and especially thank you for bringing Cadenza back.” He leaves at that, or rather after another hushed conversation with Cadenza. Not that I couldn’t easily ‘overhear’ them with the chat. She giggled slightly, and turns to me.

“Well, Dallas- uh, Lord Dallas, your clothes will be ready in three days!” I balked at that. Was she overestimating herself or was she really that much of a sewing monster?

“Clothes? You make clothes?” As if summoned out of the woodwork, Donna emerges from… somewhere. Nana is with her for… some reason.

“Yes! I hope to make a living out of it!”

“Oh my Irene! This. Is. Perfect! Could I commission you?”

“Sure! What for?”

“Oh well you see, I have a wedding-“

“A wedding? I’m getting commissioned for a wedding? For- for the bride’s dress?”

“Yup! And for all the bridesmaids too, if it’s not much trouble.” Cadenza emits some sort of squeal.

“Of course! It would be an honor! Of course, I have another project that takes precedent, but after that, I’ll get right to it!” At that point, I left. I wasn’t involved in the wedding planning, thank god. There was no reason for me to stick around. I vaguely wondered where Kiki and Molly went, considering I had seen the for women plotting together after Donna decided to continue with the wedding. Eh, not important. What was important that Donna, and then that whole adventure with Cadenza, had interrupted my sleep, and I needed to get back to it! Bed, here I come!


	24. In which a new baby is introduced AND a wedding happens- Double feature chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THis is episode 50! halfway through Minecraft Diaries season one! I wrote this all on the same day I posted the last chapter. It is 5:43 am I just finished drawing the picture and I am so tired. I am also ignoring all my remote learning assigmnemts. asigments. assignments. yes. this chapter is twice the length of my other chapters. the doc is like... 110 pages.... including prewritten scenes. if you spot typos or whatever please tell me I am not proofreading this. Actually I barely proofread anything, but I think yall already knew that. I think the rest of the story will not be twenty four chapters. Fuck. I just realized i wrote 25 in the picture. Im not redrawing it. please ignore it. why did i do that 24 is my favorite number I know this will go up later then when I am typing it because Im stupid and haven't interacted with someone who isn't my mom or dad in a month and Im waiting for Frost_Nova to comment on chapter 23. I also stalked everyone who left kudos to see if they bookmarked this. sorry. im tired. i wanna die. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. oh. Frost_Nova, you always end your comments with 'Thanks for updating! :D', so thanks for commenting :D.  
> i just read this over the next day.... :/  
> Edit: I know I said I wouldn't edit the chapter picture but... I wanted to. So ignore the bit about the chapter number being wrong.

I stared at the small bundle of pink. Then at Molly. Then at Brian. Then at the baby again.

“Mom! I didn’t know you were pregnant!” I stared at Molly.

“Haha! No one did! Not even your dad! I wanted it to be a surprise!”

“W-why?” I stared at the baby.

“Well, I didn’t want to get restricted in where I could go, with all that talk about that Shadow Knight!”

“But- but Mom… I… ugh, I guess it doesn’t matter at this point.” I stared at Brian.

“Hahaha, that’s my boy! Anyway, now you’re a big brother! We named her Delilah! We wanted a ‘D’ name, in honor of you, Dallas!”

“H-what? Oh, Delilah? I can sing ‘Hey There Delilah’ for her- wait what! After me! Oh my, oh Jesus Christ…” I mumble, burying my burning face into my hands. Molly laughs.

As Molly begins chastising her husband for drinking, I turn to Brian. “Hey, uh, how old are you?”

“Uh, sixteen? I just became a guard, afterall. Didn’t you know?”

“But- uh, Brian, how long have I been Lord?”

“About three months. Why are you asking me? I thought you of all people would be keeping track!”

“But I was the one who set your parents up. And I was there when you were born.”

“Yeah… what’s this about?”

“But- but I’m sixteen…” I said petulantly.

“What?” said Brian.

“Nevermind,” I sighed. I turned to leave.

“Oh, before you go,” Logan called out, “stay away from the dock for a bit, yeah? The ladies are setting up for the wedding, and you probably don’t want to get caught up in all that.”

“Will do- hey, you weren’t snappy with me!” I said, pleased.

“Despite your age, you’re more competent than many Lords I’ve seen, and you genuinely care for your people.”

“Thanks! ...I think.”

“Oh hey, Dallas! I was just looking for you!” A cheery voice calls out. I turn around to see Cadenza fast walking towards me. “Here!”

She plops a big backpack into my arms. “My debt to you is repaid! Now go changed, I wanna see how you look!”

There were a lot of clothes in there. Besides undergarments, there was a pink tee-shirt, a yellow blouse, a purple tank top, some jeans, a honey-colored overall shorts, a short dress that looked like it was meant to be worn with a shirt underneath the color of the setting sun, a purple leather jacket, a yellow tie, a tan belt, and two pairs of shoes.

“I had to get the shoes delivered in. I’m a seamstress, not a shoe-maker!” One was a pair of brown hiking boots that could be passed off as loafers if you put enough shoe polish on them. The other was a pair of yellow kiddie shoes- y’know, the ones that look like ballet slippers with a velcro strap across the top.

“Thank- thank you!”

“All you need to do to thank me is to start wearing them! No lord should be seen wearing rags or wearing armor on a daily basis!” I sighed. What’s wrong with wearing armor? I mean… it gets hot, it gets smelly… okay, I see where she’s coming from.

I assemble an outfit from the tee shirt, jeans, jacket, and hiking boots. I feel almost bare without any armor on. After a moment of hesitation, I clip my sword onto my hip.

“Wait a second.” I turned to Cadenza. “Follow me.” 

I go down the stairs into the basement, and begin rooting through my chests. I had tried to organize everything, but… well, let’s just say everything got out of hand. It must be around here somewhere- aha! Found one.

“Say…” I turned to Cadenza, fighting hard to keep my expression neutral. “Would you like… a dog?”

“I mean, yeah, maybe-“

“Great!” I exclaimed, pulling the dog token I found out of the chest into her chest. “This is yours now! No takie-backies!”

“Wh-why don’t you open this?”

“I don’t need five dogs. I found five dog amulets on one of my journeys, but I don’t need five dogs- I already have Cat, though he’s much more Levin’s dog than mine now. Anyway, I’ve been trying to pawn off these dog tokens to others now, but so far I’ve only handed off two, including you. Hmm… maybe Dale and Molly want one now that they have a new baby? Anyway, that’s yours. Have fun!” With each sentence, I had been guiding her out of the house. At the last word, I began running away, giggling, down to the beach.

“Oh, wow, Dallas, looking good!” Donna called. I know Logan said to stay away from the beach, but- hey, who’s that? “Did you hear about Molly’s new baby? Isn’t Delilah so sweet?”

“She sure is!”

“It was so sudden, too! We were talking about wedding plans and then she went into labor right there! We had no idea! She hid it incredibly well. Oh! By the way, let me introduce you to High Priest Zane! My mother brought him from O’Khasis to perform the ceremony.”

Zane, huh? He’s in MyStreet, but I don’t remember too much about his appearance here. I mean, he was an angsty emo who liked baking cupcakes and mlp- but not in a creepy way- and I’m pretty sure he dressed up as a maid at one point? But, I think he’s a villain here. I mean, I didn’t like him when he first appeared. But he dates Nana in MS, how bad can he be? And when I look at him, I don’t get bad vibes. I can’t even summon up a feeling of instinctual dread! I just… Zane in a maid dress…

He takes a step back, and I realize that I’ve gotten extremely close in my examination of him. What a great first impression! I lean back abruptly. “High Priest Zane Ro’meave, of the faith of Irene? I hope you enjoy your stay in our lovely town of Phoenix Drop! Wow, Donna, your mom must have connections- oh. It’s you.”

I make a sour face at the crazy cat lady. This must be Donna’s mom. Ugh.

“YOU! You’re the one who made Mittens huge! Then you turned him back to normal! YOU'RE MY DAUGHTERS FLOWER GIRL! OY VEY!”

“Okay, first of all, _I_ didn't make your cat huge. That was Sasha. And second? I didn't know she was your daughter.”

“What, you think because I’m a widowed old cat lady that I couldn’t have gotten my groove on when I was young?”

“No. No, please stop. Please stop.”

“Just make sure my daughter has a beautiful wedding. Now get your mutt-dog away from me!” Bitch.

Someone softly clears their throat. “Lord Dallas, so nice to finally meet you.” Zane says. His eyeliner is on point. Could he teach me? Or he has very thick eyelashes. Kind of hard to tell with these minecraft models.

“Wait, _you’re_ the lord!?” The cat lady shouts. I ignore her.

“Nice to meet you too.”

“It is nice to see someone else as young as I also in a position of power. It is so rare to see in O’Khasis.”

“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been to O’Khasis. What’s it deal?”

“O’Khasis is a town with much history. It’s the ‘Forgotten Kingdom’, as some call it. It was once ruled by ‘the King’ a very long time ago. But when the King was overthrown by Lady Irene and her followers, it became a city-state focused on helping villages in need. There is now a council that acts as a balance of powers to prevent any more monarchies from popping up.”

“Used to be ruled by the King, uh? And is now a stronghold of the faith of Lady Irene. Ha!”

“Indeed. Now if you would excuse me, I’ve traveled a long way to be here... Ah. It has just occurred to me that I don’t know where I’m going. Could you perhaps point me in the direction of an inn?”

“Ah, I just got done expanding the village. We don’t exactly have one. But… Donna, are the farmhouses empty?”

“Yeah, everyone’s moves into their new homes.”

“Okay then, follow me.” Zane nodded, and we were off.

Zane went into the house but the two guards stayed outside. They looked very traditional, but their front-cape thingy had the symbol of a diamond-a geometrical one- in thick red lines on it, unlike Garroth’s which had Phoenix Drop’s symbol in purple. Also unlike Garroth, I could see their faces. Oh wait, Garroth! I should inform him of the visitors! Especially since Zane is his brother! Garroth has two younger brothers, Vylad and Zane. I wonder when I’ll meet Vylad?

Hmm, so if I were Garroth, where would I be? A good place to check would be Levin’s room. It’s the afternoon, so Garroth isn’t taking care of Levin right now, but still, I could ask Zoey- but wait! Levin wasn’t there when I was down there earlier! Garroth might just be returning Levin! If I hurry I can catch him!

I barrel down the stairs, focusing on my feet. I have- oh shit! 

“Are you okay, M’Lord?” Garroth asks, helping me up.

“Ah! Garroth! Just the man I was looking for!” I spring up. “Guess what!”

“What?” 

“We have a ~visitor~! Okay, I don’t know why I said it like that, but c’mon.” I grab Garroth’s wrist and pull him up the stairs, and then behind my bedroom. Peeking out behind the one building, I ask him, “Do you see those men?”

“T-Those are O’Khasis guards!”

“Annnnnd do you know who they are guarding?”

“...no? How would I?”

“Zane Ro’meave, High Priest of the faith of Lady Irene! Apparently Donna’s mother- who is a crazy cat lady, by the way, don’t interact unless you have to- apparently has some connections, and now he’s here to do the wedding!” Garroth goes very stiff, and very quiet. “Hey Garroth, you’re from O’Khasis, right?”

“Wha- how- what- how did you know?!”

“Well, first of all, you immediately recognized their uniforms. Second, you just confirmed my suspicions.”

“Oh… well, yes, I’m from O’Khasis. I’d… like to request that you stay away from Zane, unless you need to talk to him.”

“Oooh, spicy. I sense some LORE behind that, but all on your own time, don’t worry.”

“Yes,” he coughs into his hand, “well, I was thinking that we could throw a baby shower for Kyle and Delilah. When Levin was found by you and I adopted him, we had one. Now, I think maybe having a double baby shower would be something that would give Levin, Delilah, and Kyle a chance to play together and the village to come together! Maybe not now, because of the wedding and all, but after, yeah?”

“Sounds like a great idea, Garroth! But you should really talk to Zoey. She’s much more adept at planning parties than I am.”

“I will. Anyway, it’s getting late, and I heard the preparations will be complete by tomorrow. You should get some rest, okay?”

“Kay.” He pats me on the shoulder and heads off.

I squint in the bright morning sun. Ugh, I had forgotten to close my shade last night…. but that’s not what woke me up. Faintly, I could hear voices being raised on my doorstep. I reach below my bed for my tunic… and stop, remembering that Cadenza had burned it.

I quickly tug on a pair of tights (I thought they were like, long johns but on closer inspection they weren’t), the blouse, and the overall shorts, and the boots. I tug on the jacket, brush my hair down… and then slammed open the door for dramatic effect.

I glared at the O’Khasis guards and… Garroth?

“Great!”said one of them, “teach your guard to kneel before a high priest!”

“I,” I take a deep breath, “WAS SLEEPING! Please take your argument somewhere else, hmm?”

“Your guard-“ the other one began.

“As I said,” Zane cut in, “we are in another Lord’s village, and you have to respect their customs.”

His guards fell silent.

“Yes, and in Phoenix Drop, the customs is to _not_ be woken up by forgien guards at your door at ass o’clock in the morning!”

“M’Lord… it’s almost midday.”

“Exactly.”

“May I speak with you for a moment?” Zane asked. I nodded, and he gestured me off to the side.

“It appears the preparations for the wedding are complete. It’s looking very beautiful.”

“It is, but could you cut the small talk?”

“Well, guards are required to dress formally for weddings. And I can’t help but notice that your head guard is never out of uniform.”

“Yes…”

“A wedding attended by guards in uniform is usually a way for the families to flaunt their wealth. It is much more of a security risk than it is worth, as that attracts bandits and thieves. I do hope that you consider this?”

“Well, if it’s that much of an issue, I’ll make my guard patrol the village instead.”

“You are not going to force him to dress formally?”

“It’s not that important. With your two guards, there’ll be plenty of guards at the wedding, anyway.”

“Well, if he did attend the wedding in full uniform, I would be forced to stop the wedding. It’s a matter of operational security, you see.”

“Yes… I’ll talk to him.”

“Ah, before you go… pardon me, I’m just curious- why don’t you order him to wear something else to attend the wedding?”

“Just because I’m a Lord doesn’t give me a free pass to be an asshole,” I said, giving Zane a weird look. “He has expressed discomfort about not being in uniform in the past, and it’s not any of my business why. But I cannot force him to do something he’s uncomfortable with. It would be a severe abuse of power.”

“Well said,” Zane replied. “There are other Lords who don’t hold the same viewpoint as you.”

“Well then,” I shrugged, “I hope they enjoy getting their heads cut off.”

And I left it at that. I snagged Garroth’s hand as I walked past him.

“Garroth,” I said once we were out of their line of sight, “we have an issue.”

“What?”

“Zane said he wouldn’t perform the ceremony if you were in uniform. Now, if attending the wedding ceremony is _really_ important to you, I’m sure Cadenza would be able to whip up a suit for you. But I don’t think that’s the case.”

“.... No.”

“Right, okay. It’s really none of my business why, so I’ll continue on. The way I see it, you have three options. One, you take the day off and stay home. Two, you patrol the village. With every other guard at the wedding, it will leave the village vulnerable to attack if, god forbid, someone tries to take advantage of it. Three… I forgot what option three is. But in any case, you get to attend the reception, which will be loads more fun than the actual wedding. I mean, with such _great_ role models as Dale around, I’ll need someone to keep an eye on me around all that free beer.”

“M’Lord… you’re not really going to drink, are you?”

“Mmmm…. perhaps. Anyway, what will you do?”

“I think I will patrol the village. Dallas… thank you.”

“What for?” I asked, confused. Garroth just pats my head.

“You should pick up your dress,” he says as he walks off.

“…I guess…” I muttered.

“Ah, Dallas! The last person on my list! I was just about to go up to your house! Here, I wasn’t sure whether to go with a suit or a dress, but I came across a pattern that was just perfect for you, here, try it on!”

I stared at the mirror. And stared.

“Well…” Cadenza prompted.

“AAAAH! I'M SO PRETTY THANK YOU CADENZA!” The dress consisted of four layers- the first was a simple yellow skirt that went down to my knees. The next skirt layer was a sheer, gossamer fabric that had a bunch of yellow silk flowers and pearls stitched into it, and was shorter than the fabric layer. The third one was another layer of sheer fabric, shorter than the second one, to protect all the little things sewn into the second layer. The fourth layer was also made of the same sheer material, but it was a shade of yellow more orange-y than the first layer. It also split in the middle and draped over the sides, like a ball gown. The bodice has many yellow flowers stitched into it, and there was a little yellow jacket- seriously, like it only went down to my waist and had short sleeves- that was made of yellow silk, and had Phoenix Drop’s symbol embroidered onto each shoulder, stitched over the dress.

For accessories, there were these yellow fingerless leather gloves that had laces coming out of them like a ballet slipper, that went up to my elbow. Cadenza had stitched more yellow flowers into my hair- but there were some orange, pink, and white ones in there as well, along with some strips of ribbon. I also wore a simple gold chain necklace. She also made me wear the yellow kiddie shoes and a pair of ruffled white socks.

“I was right! It’s perfect for you! Now, uh, I think Donna has the pre-wedding jitters. She said she would be in the house that she first lived in. Once she gets over that, we can get this thing started!”

“Alright!”

“Hey Donna!” I busted open the door of the small farmhouses.

“Hey Dallas…….. y’know, it’s funny…… I never thought I’d be getting married.”

“Why?”

“Because haven’t you noticed? I’m a total man gawker! If I see a cute guy, I usually try to get the know him, but… this tone was different. Yes, I still check cute guys out, but Logan… he’s so sweet, so different… am I good enough for him, considering who I was? He knows about how I was before, so… how does he still love me?”

“Why are you thinking about this now, Donna?”

“Because… I just want Logan to be happy. I… you probably don’t understand, you’re too young. But when you love someone, you want them to be happy above everything else.”

“You’re right, I don’t understand… but Donna, do you truly love Logan?”

“With all of my heart.” She says firmly.

“Then stop overthinking and get down to the docks already!”

“.............. haha, hahahHAHA! Yeah, you’re right. I love you, Dallas,” she ruffles by hair.

“It’s my duty to serve, citizen!” I proclaim.

“Hahaha! Seriously though, thanks for being here with me. Thanks for being my friend.”

“You don’t have to thank me for being your friend. Now c’mon!” I open the door. “Let’s go!”

I figet, my basket of assorted flowers in my hands. I peek out to see Molly, the maid of honor, Logan, Dale, the best man, and Zane, who’s dressed in some gold trimmed abomination, waiting at the altar.

“Alright,” Donna says, smoothing down her beautiful white dress. “I’m ready.”

With a smile, I begin walking down the aisle, throwing petals everywhere. But everyone’s attention is focused on the person behind me- Donna. And she deserves it! She really looks beautiful, for a minecraft person.

When she gets to the altar, Zane clears his throat.

“We are gathered here today with family and friends to celebrate Donna and Logan‘s wedding. These two souls will be joining forever as one in this realm and in the next. The bond of eternity will keep them together and in that bond they shall find companionship and love. Do you, Logan, take Donna to be your wife in the eyes of Irene?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Donna, take Logan to be your husband in the eyes of Irene?”

“I do! Hehe!” 

“Then take these rings, and with them you will hold each other in a sacred bond. Does anyone object?” I resist the urge to turn around and glare at the crazy cat lady. “Then it is now my honor to present to you all Mr. and Mrs! You may now kiss the bride!”

I close my eyes, but refrain from gagging. I have to be respectful, and that means not looking like I’ve just sucked on a lemon.

“Alright!” says Logan, “To the party!”

There are foods of table set up, and someone plays some music. There is a dance floor that some couples dance on. I feel… floaty, which is not a sign that I should be cut off from the root beer, thank you very much! The crazy cat lady is wearing a dress that isn’t appropriate for her age, and her cat is inching slowly away from her. This makes me erupt into giggles and bury my face into the table.

Then I remember that Garroth isn’t done with patrol yet, and I get sad. I want to dance with him. I took ballroom dancing in the fifth grade, and I remember enough to have fun, which is to say, not a lot. More food will make me less sad. Maybe… more cake and beer? That sounds like a great idea! I am so smart.

I skirt past Dale, who is hitting on his own wife, and grab another slice of cake. I reach for another beer, but my hand is stopped. 

“I think that’s enough,” says Garroth.

“Ah! Betrayal! My heart! How shall it ever recover from this great travesty! I shall be- Garroth! Your face is out!” I beam. “Anyway! I’m not drunk, c’mon, let me have one!”

“If you’re not drunk, then tell me how many fingers I’m holding up.” He says.

“Jesus, Garroth, I’m drunk, not blind. You’re holding up I’m-not-drunk amount of- aha!” I snatched a bottle of beer while his attention wasn’t on my hand.

“No, give it-“ I duck under his hands and run away.

“You can’t stop teenage stupidity, Garroth! You can’t!” I chug the entire bottle.

“Dallas!”

“Whaaat! You’re acting like it’s dangerous. Well, I’ll tell you that only _one_ of my piercings is from when I was drunk, and I’ve only officiated _one_ marriage when I was drunk, and then they * _sniff_ * couldn’t have any kids * _sniff_ * because they were both girls!” I wailed.

“Wait, you pierced your ears- Wait, you _officiated a marriage_ \- I- I mean, of course they can’t have kids, they’re both girls….”

“If they want children, they should be able to have children. Jeeze, Garroth, don’t be homophobic. Anyway!” I dried my tears. “Do you want cake! Nana outdid herself! And! I wanna dance with you!”

“Hey Dallas!” I look to see Zoey, sitting at one of the tables. “Why don’t you sing? I’ve heard you singing to Levin!”

“Hhhhjhjjjj……” that sounds like a great idea, but, “oh no! I’ve suddenly forgotten every single song I’ve ever heard! I guess that means I can’t sing now, too bad.”

I dramatically flop down at the closest table, where Zane and Kiki are discussing… werewolves or something.

At night, we all gather to see Donna and Logan off on their honeymoon boat, riding into the moonrise. I’m the last one there, waving my arms until they disappeared. Oh, and Garroth is with me, of course.

Zane is here too, or at least is coming here, still dressed in that awful outfit.

“Heeeeey Zane!” I slur.

“At last…. I knew it. Long time no see… big brother.”

“Ba- bum- baa! What a shocking turn of events! What a wild reveal! I simply cannot process- why are you two looking at me like that?”

“You’re not… surprised?” asked Garroth.

“G-Garroth… Garroth, y-your name,” my voice shakes,” is-is, hehehe, o-on-on, hehehehaha!”

“I’m sorry, this is supposed to be a dramatic plot twist, I shouldn’t, hehehe, find this funny. I’ll stop.” My shoulders shake for a few seconds more. “Alright. Garroth, your name, your full name, is on the payroll. Ro’meave isn’t exactly common.”

“Pft- ahahaHAHAHA!” Zane laughs.

“Oh,” says Garroth.

I slap him on the shoulder. “I love you buddy, but if you wanna pull this whole ‘new identity’ thing, at least change your name? I mean, the helmet is a nice touch, but Garroth is a very unique name.”

“Well, as anticlimactic as that was, I do have a reason for this little confrontation. Garroth, Father has let you have your fun, but now he needs you to come back.”

“Sorry, but he’s not going anywhere. I mean, he has a son!”

“What.”

“Yeah, you saw him earlier at the party. Levin!”

“Oh.” Zane shifted uncomfortably. “I’m…. an uncle? I’ll… have to talk with Father about that.”

He turns around, but as he walks away, I have the most _brilliant_ idea, as one does when they’re drunk. I sneak up behind him, and…

“VIBE CHECK!” I shout, pushing him in the ocean. He flails, and I giggle.

“Dallas!” Garroth exclaims.

“What?”

“He can’t swim!”

“Oh. Oh!” I immediately feel myself sober up. Shit, shit! I unequivocal my dress and shoes, through them to Garroth, and dive into the ocean.

Zane hasn’t sunk far, so with a few kicks, I catch up to him. I put both my arms under his armpits and start to swim upwards. However, his bulky, impractical clothes make it hard to swim upwards, and I’ve never been the best swimmer in the first place.

I can feel my lungs cry out for air. If I dropped Zane, I would be fine. I mean, it almost seems like we are sinking. The surface seems so far… no, no! No one is going to die here today, and I refuse to kill someone in something other than self-defense! I refuse! I refuse! I can feel my heart beating quickly, my lungs screaming for air, the adrenaline running through me- **I refuse**!

We break the surface, gasping and coughing. I push Zane up against the dock, and thankfully he gets the message, climbing up onto it. I’m glad to see that he’s not passed out or anything. I rest on the dock, lazily treading water.

“I’m sorry, if I knew you couldn’t swim, I wouldn’t have pushed you.”

“Yes, well,” he coughs, “I don’t exactly advertise the fact.”

“Still. I’m sorry.”

“You saved me.”

“I had to.”

“You must have grown up in a coastal community, huh?”

“What?”

“People who grow up in coastal communities generally expected everyone to be able to swim.”

“Well, I did, but it’s not like I’m exactly swimming in the Hudson River- I'd probably get poisoned. And I didn’t exactly spend every second at the beach.”

“Dallas… what’s that?” Garroth grabs my right arm, observing the geometrical bruise that no amount of Kiki’s potions of regeneration have been able to heal. There are even small dots under it now.

“Nothing.” I yank my arm away and tuck it under the other one, but not too hard, or else he’d get suspicious.

I pull myself up onto the dock, and Zane and Garroth make a choking noise and look away in unison, when it’s revealed I’m wearing nothing more than my underwear and my socks. I chuckle. They really are brothers.

“So if you two are here, where’s the third one? What’s his name…”

“Vylad… is no longer with us.” Zane says quietly. Huh, Vylad, like that kid in the cell I saw in the vision that didn’t happen and isn’t real, because I don’t have magic.

“Well, that…. my condolences. Now, we’ve all had a… long night, let’s retire.” When someone tells you their brother is ‘dead’, don’t say ‘well that sucks’. When someone tells you their brother is ‘dead’, don’t tell them ‘well, that sucks’, I repeat to myself like a mantra as I ascend the stairs and go into my bedroom. I place the dress almost reverentially on a chair, and flop into bed.


	25. In which Laurence returns.

I stared into the shadows of my opponent’s visor, waiting. It seems as though he’s waiting for me to attack first. So, I oblige. I tense, and push off the ground, flinging myself towards him. I try to stab him, but he simply shifts back and lets my sword pass him. I pivot on my heel, bringing my sword back at him, but his sword was already up. We clash hard with a resounding sound, and I can feel the vibrations in the bones. I tilt my sword so the force he’s pushing against me with causes his sword to slide down, and with a twist of my wrist, fling his sword away. I leap back, sword and shield up.

This time, it’s him on offense. He slashed and jabs, faster than I could parry. I duck beneath some, and reflect others, but my armor still gains a few hits. It’s when I pivot away from one jab that my opponent takes the opportunity to lash out with a foot, kicking me in the ankle and causing me to fall. I lay on the ground, sword knocked from my grasp, and my opponent knocks it further away with his sword. I try to get up, but he pushes me down with one foot, and raises his sword-

“And dead,” Garroth says, wooden training sword inches from my throat.

“Ugh… off off off!” I said, slapping his boot.

“Are you okay, Dallas?”

“Yeah, just hot, and sweaty, and a bit winded, and, oh yeah, my pride’s a bit bruised. What is that, your thirtieth win?”

“Thirty fourth. But remember, you do have one win.”

“Yeah, cause I fucking body slammed you with my shield.”

“It was still a valid strategy. As for what you’ve got to work on? Well, you telegraph your moves too clearly, you often forget to guard yourself in favor of getting in a strike. You need to be more defensive. Also, you should hold your sword more loosely, you’re going to injure yourself. Remember to keep your form strong, and balanced, so no one can push you over like I just did.” I wipe a hand through my sweat soaked hair, and then jam my helmet back on.

“Again-“

“Oh sorry, am I interrupting something here?” We turn to see Zane and his guards watching from not too far away.

“Actually, yes.”

“Well, then, I’m just here to tell Garroth to settle his affairs, because we’re leaving for Scaleswind in three days.”

“And what about Levin?”

“Why, he’s only going to meet his fiancée. But you’re talking about when he gets married, yes? His son will be left here. Unless,” he turned to Garroth, “you’d like to bring him to an orphanage?”

Zane smirked. Well, I couldn’t exactly see his expression but he sounded like he was smirking.

“I am not leaving my son. Nor am I disowning him,” Garroth said firmly.

“Why would Levin go to an orphanage?” I asked.

“‘Anyone under the age of sixteen must be watched over by someone over the age of twenty.’ It’s a fun excerpt from the book of universal laws that Lady Irene herself wrote.”

“Well, that doesn’t matter, because you’re not taking Garroth.”

“Well, you can’t force him to stay- or rather, you’re not going to. You said it yourself- you won’t force him to do something, because it would be a, what did you call it? Oh yes, an ‘abuse of power’. Garroth is going to come with me.”

“He doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to marry that lordling.”

“Oh I have no doubt that. But he will come. Because he knows the consequences.”

“I- what?” Zane wordless walks away, back into the village. I jog to keep up with him. “Hey, wait!”

He reaches the family houses. One for Cole and Emma, one for Molly and Dale, and one house I’d just built as a surprise for Donna and Logan. He stands by Molly and Dale’s house. Faintly, I can hear the laughter of a baby drifting through the second floor window. Zane takes out a flint and steel, and sets the house on fire.

I punch the fire out. He does it again. I punch the fire out again. I open my mouth. I close it. “I’m sorry, what? The fuck? Do you think you’re doing.”

“Being a Lord isn’t all flowers and weddings. Being a Lord means that you have to deal with people like me, people who have an agenda. This treaty is very important for O’Khasis. Causing it to fall through… well some might consider an act of war.” He leaned in close. “Would you really sacrifice your village for the sake of one man?”

“Ghk- I- I-“

“The fact is, Phoenix Drop has neither the manpower nor resources to fight O’Khasis. War with us would be devastating for such a dinky little town. Your naïveté is cute, but a Lord can not afford it. It’s time to face the facts.”

“You’re not taking Garroth. I’m not threatening, or promising, or even in denial. It’s just a fact. It’s not going to be because of anything I will do, or anything he does, or even anything you do. When you leave this village, Garroth will not be with you.”

“Heh, cheeky. Say, didn’t the family in this building recently have a baby named Delilah? It would be a shame if… something happened to her, don’t you think?”

“Yes… oh, but look at that! Your guards seem to be having a lovely chat with Garroth, with their backs towards us. The forest is a perfect place for monsters to spawn, with all this shade from the trees. Phoenix Drop has no walls…. wouldn’t it _be_ a _shame_ if _something_ came up to us? Now, I have a sword, but you… if the zombie or skeleton happened to kill you before your guards reached us, well… it would truly be a tragedy, hmmm?”

“Aha… ahaha…. AHAHAHAHAHA! Are you threatening me?”

“Oh, threatening you? The high priest of Irene? I wouldn’t dare! I’m simply pointing out that Phoenix Drop isn’t as safe as it looks… so you better watch yourself, _Ro’meave_.”

“Oh, you’re fun. I can tell that my stay here won’t be boring. Well, I have… important business to attend to. Good day, Lord Dallas.”

“Good day, Priest.”

I watched him and his guards go with a clenched jaw and a glare. Garroth walked up to me.

“I’m going with him.”

“No.”

“We can’t afford war with O’Khasis. I have to go with him, for the good of the village.”

“I just- I’m not being obstinate, Garroth. Things happen. Plans change. Suddenly, for Zane, getting you becomes much less of a priority.”

“Dallas, what are you planning?”

“Nothing! And that’s the beauty of it! Something’s gonna happen, independent of you or me or him, and I don’t know what, but Zane will have to leave, without you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t know. But you’ll just have to trust that my knowledge is true.”

“Dallas-“ The world seemed to shiver around me, and a sensation passes through me. For a second, all sounds become muted, except the sound of static.

“Wait.” My head turns, staring at the spot that came from. 

“...M’Lord?” I grab Garroth’s hand and begin running through the village, dodging around villagers.

“Thank god you’re hear-“ Brian begins, but I just rush past him. Then I see it. The disturbance. I stop, a good distance away.

“An Ender Dragon?” I whisper. “No, too small…”

Then I see the nametag. “Ungrth- that’s Laurence’s wyvern!”

I run towards him, breath caught in my throat.

“Dallas… I did it…. I saved Laurence….”

“Oh my god, oh my god BRIAN, GO GET A MEDIC! KIKI, ZOEY, ANYONE!”

“It’s too late for me…”

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god goo lord Jesus Kentucky fried chicken what?!?”

“Laurence was my friend… my brother… he took my in when my family abandoned me… one good turn… deserves another… I used my power…. to save him…. to tear through the realm barrier… I could feel him… his pain… his suffering...he wanted… his family… this corruption… is the price I paid.”

“Oh fuck… are you gonna die!?”

“Don’t worry… I won’t die… I’ll simply slumber for eons until I am reborn anew. Please… I brought Laurence here because I knew he would be safe… you would care for him… his thoughts of you and his sister kept him from turning… please…”

“Oh god, Laurence, fuck, oh fuck, yeah he’s… gonna need to stay here… can’t send him back to Meteli.”

“Boho’shnarv…” His body seemed to crumple inward, and he cried out in agony. Then, all that was left of him was a single note of light. Ungrth was right. There was nothing I could do for him now. But Laurence…..

“M’LORD! I BROUGHT THOSE PEOPLE!” Brian called.

“Get over here! It’s Laurence!”

“You should get some sleep. Laurence isn’t going to wake up faster if you stand over him and fret.”

“I guess…” I looked at Zoey. “When he wakes up… get Cadenza, alright? She’s his sister, she should be here.”

“I’ll do that. Now come.” She helped me get my boots off and tucked me in. “Sweet dreams.”

Black, black, black. A sphere of back hangs on the ceiling of the Nether, dotted with chunks of purple glowstone. The tear, sealed.

A man, blue eyes and brown hair. In his twenties, maybe. He has a scarf over his face and a black leather jacket. He is covered in soot.

I approach him.

“CURSE THAT DAMN WYVERN!” He growls. “HE FUCKING TOOK LAURENCE!”

“Why does it matter? Laurence climbed to his emotions. He was a nuisance!”

“That’s not it, it’s about the fact that HE WAS TAKEN. I'D RATHER HIM DEAD THAN TAKEN, SASHA! WE DO NOT HAVE A WAY OUT OF THE NETHER THANKS TO THAT _IDIOT_ , SO WERE STUCK! JUST LIKE THE WYVERNS! LAURENCE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?”

“I-“

“IT MEANS HE KNOWS WHAT WE ARE PLANNING AND CAN WARN THEM! THIS IS NOT A FUCKING JOKE, SASHA!”

“Gene, calm down. We’re going to revive the King no matter what.”

“CALM!? I’LL BE CALM WHEN ZENIX AND LAURENCE ARE SIX FUCKING FEET UNDER! Zenix is less of a threat, but… to gain the blessing of the king and his right hand and then FUCKING LEAVE! … We’ll just have to pray to the gods that Laurence does not remember what transpired here. Transcending the realms has effects… the wyvern must be dead by now.”

“You know… Laurence mentioned that he thought Vylad had another way out of the Nether.”

“Then it looks like we’ll have to pay him another visit. And remember, if we don’t find a way out of the Nether before he finds out-“

“No matter how much it seems like he depends on us, we’re ultimately disposable. Yeah, yeah, but he never gets rid of us, huh?” I smile. Gene just glares and stalks away.

Vylad sits in his cell, face smeared with ash and soot. His clothes look worse for wear. He looks up- at me.

THUD!

“Ow!” I cried, rubbing my head. My arms were trapped! I couldn’t move! I… fell off my bed? Oh. Lovely.

“Dallas!” Someone knocked on the door. “Laurence woke up! He’s asking for you! I’ll go get Cadenza.”

I sat up. Laurence! I barely remembered to tug on a shirt before running down the steps and into the guest room.

“Laurence!” I ran up to him and hugged him. “Oh wait, sorry, am I hurting you?”

“No… it’s so great to see you again, Dallas. And in the flesh, this time, too.” He hugged me back, squeezing me tight.

“Mmm…” I stared at his eyes. “Did… did your eyes change color or something?”

“I guess you could say that. Dallas, passing through the realm barrier has some side affects. For me, it’s blindness.”

“... It’s your injury, but… it’s weird to hear someone be so cavalier about becoming blind.”

“When I crossed the realm barrier, I accepted that there might be risks. I much prefer being here, blind, then there, seeing.”

“Ungrth is dead…”

“Oh.”

“Gene is really mad. Says then next time he sees you, he’s going to kill you. And that you’re going to tell everyone their plans.”

“Oh, did you possess Sasha again?”

“What are you talking about? That never happened, no siree. I’ve never possessed anyone, not ever, and certainly not Sasha. In order to possess someone, I would need magicks, which I Do Not Have.”

“Pft- alright, I get it. Hey, did you get new clothes?”

“Yeah-“

“Thanks to me.” Cadenza says, striding into the room. “I guess… you really were right, Dallas. He did come back.”

“Cadenza!” he called. “You're not a chicken anymore! Come here”

They hugged. For a pretty long time. Then I heard sobs… and decided to give them some privacy.

“You’re back!” I could hear through the door. 

“Well… Dallas ordered me to come back. And who am I to refuse an order from a Lord! Say, what is she doing in Meteli?”

“We’re not in Meteli, Laurence. We’re in Phoenix Drop.”

“... How long was I out?”

“Only overnight, I think.”

“Wow, you got here fast!”

“Laurence, I moved to Phoenix Drop.”

“Really? And Hayden let you?”

“I’m nineteen, Laurence! I can make my own decisions! Wait... what's wrong with your eyes?”

“Huh, you really were right.” I jerked my head up, staring at Garroth. I almost didn’t recognize him- he had his helmet off. “He really did come back.”

“You doubted me?” I pouted.

“And if you were right about this…” He looks at me. “Maybe you’re right about Zane, too.”

“I am right! But… just like this one, it won’t come without cost. Though… the repercussions are short-term.”

“What? Laurence is going to become- going to be able to see again?”

I grinned. “You said it, not me. But it’ll be soon.”

“Soon like how you’d promised Laurence would come back soon? Or how we’re going to have a baby shower soon.”

“Baby shower soon, Garroth! It’s a give and take!”

“How do you know all this?”

I shrugged. “I just do. I know Laurence isn’t going to stay blind forever, and I know you won’t leave Phoenix Drop forever.”

“..,” Garroth furrowed his brow. “Well, I don’t know much about magic. I guess that’s why it doesn’t make sense to me.”

“I’m not magic Garroth! I’m not!”

Cadenza opened the door. “He’s asleep again. Is he going to be staying here?”

“Yeah, so we can monitor him,” I said.

“Alright. Good night to you two.” She left.

“Good night? Isn’t it like… the morning?”

“It’s two am, Dallas.”

“Oh. In that case, Laurence has the right idea. We should go back to bed.”


	26. In which I experience the trials and tribulations of daily life (and Zane)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate how this chapter has like..... no substance at all. Yet it's necessary for later chapters.... ugh. anyway, I've been thinking about how I should end season one. I barely remember the second season (Travis... stranded? asks for kisses.... boat... they're on a boat... uhh... maybe they explore ruins at some point?), and if there's a season three I definitely didn't watch it. I know Zane reappears as a villain, soo... damn. On one hand, it would be a lot easier to keep him as a villain. on the other hand... I really like Zane as a not-villain. And maybe I should kill someone? Idk, I'd be really sad if anyone died. Also, doesn't like aphmau get time traveled or something, and then she comes back and her kids are all grown up? ...I should probably watch the entire show. Also, check out chapter fifteen, I updated it.

“Hey.” Zoey grabbed my arm. I paused in the doorway, looking at her. “I sensed the same magic on Zane as I do on Laurence. Be careful around him, alright?”

“Ok. Oh, hey Garroth.” He has been standing at my door. “Did you go to bed last night…?”

He shook his head. “That’s not important. Look.”

“Did… they black out the windows?”

“Yes, and that guard posted at the door won’t let anyone in. Says it is official business.” I considered it. Then I took out my axe. “Dallas, no!”

The door to my house opened again, revealing Zoey carrying Levin. “Here, why don’t you two take Levin today, while I monitor Laurence’s condition.”

“I’m sure it’s perfectly safe-“ I began.

“Sounds like a great idea!” said Garroth. “Why don’t we walk through town, check up on people.”

“Okay.” It was weird, walking through town, and seeing everyone acting normally, when Zane was locked in a house doing who knows what, and Laurence back from the Nether.

“Oh, Dallas! You’re just the person Kawaii-Chan was looking for!” She was still wearing the dress slash kimono that Cadenza made for her, and Brenden was trailing after her. “Um, so Kawaii-Chan was talking to Cadenza, and… not that your house is bad or anything, it’s just… it's just not fit for a Lord! Would you Please let Kawaii-Chan renovate your house?”

“Uh, sure?”

“Great! What’s your favorite color?”

“Uhmmm… uh, Kawaii-Chan, this whole… monochrome house thing works great for you, but… I prefer to have a natural colored house, y’know, with stone bricks and wood.”

“Okay! Kawaii-Chan can do that! Kawaii-Chan can do wood! But what’s your favorite color?”

“Is that… just because you’re curious or because of the house?”

“Well… Kawaii-Chan knows a guy who knows a girl who works wonders with wood and can make wood with many different colors!” I sighed. I wasn’t going to be able to keep my house from being colorful, was I?

“Mmmm… just the insides. And… please don’t use the same tiles that you used for your floors.”

“Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s just….” eye searing “a bit slick for me to feel okay with a Levin running around on.”

“Oh! Ok! So what’s your favorite color?”

“Well… I don’t really have a favorite color, per say…. kind of more like a favorite palette. The pink that appears when the sun starts to set… the baby blue that the sky turns… the brilliant oranges and yellows…. the red of the slowly setting sun… the pinks and purples that are reflected on the clouds… the dark twilight blue where the moon is starting to rise…. yeah. I just really like sunsets. Dad’s house faces west, so every evening as I was growing up I would get to see the sun set.”

“Okay! You’ve really given Kawaii-Chan a lot to work with! Erm… How many rooms do you want?”

“Well… one for me, one for Levin, one for Zoey, a guest room…. um, a storage room, a kitchen… a bathroom… an office… um, if you’re up for it, it would definitely be nice if everyone’s rooms are expanded. Oh yeah- a living room and a dining room, but those can be combined. In both my mom’s and dad’s house they were. And in my cousins’ house. Not in Grandma and Papa’s house, but they had a big house, but in Aunt Barbra and Uncle Steven’s house they were too! And… yeah, I think that’s it.” I finished lamely.

“Ok! I’ll get right to it, M’Lord!” She flounced away, then paused. “I… just… Uhm… the high priest… Zane-san… uhm, I noticed he… his magic… uhm… just be careful around him, yeah?”

“Of course. Thanks for telling us.” I smiled. She curtsied and skipped away.

“Well…” I said, “that was nice…”

Garroth chuckled and ruffled my hair. “It’s truly wonderful how much the villagers like you. Not many lords inspire that much love and respect.”

“Stop it,” I mumbled, batting his hand away and avoiding eye contact.

“Why are you so red? It’s true!” I buried my face into my hands.

“I should do something…” I mumbled. “They’re doing so much for me, and I feel bad for not giving back.”

“What- Dallas, you practically built this town with your bare hands! You gave them all shelter and asked for nothing in return! Them doing these acts- it’s their way of thanking you!”

“They shouldn’t feel like they have to thank me for letting them live here! Shelter is a basic hu- a basic right! I’m… I’m gonna build Kiki a barn!”

“Dallas….” 

“Yeah!”

“Dallas get down from there you’re going to hurt yourself!”

“I’m only fifteen blocks up!” I called down. “Plus the loft floor is right there! I just have to finish the wall, and then I can start on the roof!”

“Dallas, just get down-“ I start placing blocks down.

“Oh, what’s that? Sorry, can’t hear you over all this CONSTRUCTION! I’ll be fine!”

“Dallas, please!”

“I’ve been higher before, and I’ve been fine!”

“THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL BETTER!”

“Wait a second!” I stood up straight.

“Dallas?”

I jumped down onto the loft, and climbed down the ladder to the floor, and ran over to Garroth, waving my hands frantically. “Cadenza knows! About Laurence!”

“Yeah…”

“And we didn’t tell her! Not to tell Zane!”

“You consider her a risk?”

“She doesn’t know!” I waved my arms. “That Zane’s evil! An- and since he’s a high priest, she might tell him, cause _maybe_ he could _help_.”

“Do… you want me to tell her not to mention Laurence’s condition to Zane?”

I nodded furiously.

“Very well M’Lord.”

No, that slope… ugh, the roof needs a more gradual slope! Ugh!

“M’Lord!”

“Oh, Garroth! You’re back!” With him gone, and not fretting over me, I had basically completed the barn. Just needed flooring and stalls and a roof. Okay, maybe not basically complete.

“She- she already told him.”

“What.”

“Cadenza-“

“Yeah yeah yeah, no no no, I know what you mean, I’m just… ugh! That smug motherfucker is totally gonna try to blackmail or do _something_ to us with this knowledge!”

“Zane has never… f… done that with our mother.”

“It’s... an expression?”

“A-ah.”

“W-what are you doing?” I stared at the guard that was digging a hole in my plaza. I had half a mind to grab some cobblestone and seal him in there.

“Oh, we’re just… requisitioning some materials! Don’t mind me!”

“I didn’t give you permission to… ‘rEqUiSiTiOn MaTeRiAlS’.”

“Eh,” Zane waved my concerns aside. “You know, I was approached by this young woman, a village of yours, in distress. She asked me if I could heal one who had become blind… tell me, what could possibly have happened to this poor man?”

I decided to play along. Getting angry at him will get me nowhere, and I know his type. He’s just doing this to get a reaction. “Well, you see, the human body is _quite_ remarkable! You could fall a thousand feet into twenty five feet of snow and be fine, but the very next day you could trip and shatter your kneecap! There was once a man who went to bed perfectly healthy… and woke up fully paralyzed! No one knew what was wrong with him, but now he spends life in a wheelchair! The human brain is a very delicate thing, you see, and is one hard hit away from being permanently fucked up! This poor man got a concussion- and now he’s blind!”

“Heh heh heh… you are really entertaining. I’ve decided to extend my stay, see if I could help this person. After all, it wouldn’t be kind of me to leave someone in such a state, especially one who is… a Shadow Knight.”

“Oh?” I said, sickly sweet. “How… generous of you. But.. I thought O’Khasis didn’t _believe_ in Shadow Knights!”

“Now, now. It would be rather hard to explain this to your villagers, hmm? Especially with that whole Zenix… incident. We can talk another time. You don’t want to anger me, considering I’m the one who’s going to be taking Garroth away.” He started to laugh maniacally. Wow. What an asshole! I- he’s nothing like My Street Zane! That’s it! I have to forget the pink cupcakes and non-copyright infringing My Little Horsey and dating Kawaii-Chan! I have to hate him- or at least treat him like a villain, just as I did before I watched the My Street season one Christmas episode! (Or was it before that?)

“Dallas!” I turned around.

“Ah Kiki! You wonderful human being, the epitome of caring and grace, what is it?”

“Oh- oh my! I- I just wanted to thank you for building the farmhouse! You- you really didn’t have to do it!”

“Yes. Yes I did.”

“Uhm, well, I was thinking… when it’s done, we could have a double baby shower for Molly and Emma! Garroth brought it up a while back and I was so excited about the idea- after all, even if the baby has already been born, there’s NEVER a wrong time to celebrate someone! What do you think?”

“Kiki, it’s your building. Whatever you do with it is your business, not mine. And if you want to throw a party, well, you don’t need mine or anyone’s permission for it! Besides… it’ll be good! To have some fun here!”

“Oh! I’m so excited! I’ll begin prepping immediately!”

I smiled and headed off. With Zane knowing about him… I should inform Laurence on the current state of affairs. It concerns him, and… if he’s going to become my third, it’s best that I bring him in now. 

As I approached my house, I covered my eyes. Nana had insisted that it be a surprise, but Laurence was there, so…. It hadn’t been that hard to avoid it, with Brenden being a simp and my bedroom being demolished- I had been staying at Garroth’s house.

“Hello?” I called. “Zoey? Kawaii-Chan? Brenden?”

“Hehe, right here silly! Zoey took Levin-chan to Garroth-kun’s house, and Brenden’s taking a break.”

“Oh, great! I can’t see you cause I’m covering my eyes, so I don’t see the house. Hey, Kawaii-Chan… why do you only add honorifics to some people’s names?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you call yourself Kawaii- _Chan_ , right? And you just used the suffix -chan for Levin’s name, and -kun for Garroth’s. Yet when you said Zoey and Brenden’s names, you didn’t use any honorific at all!”

“You… know the language of the Meif'wa?”

“Japanese? Only a bit. Like… demo means but, and nani means what… arigato is thank you, but arigato-go-sai-mas is a more formal thank you; I have an average grasp of honorifics- -chan and -kun for children, or those younger and lower ranked than you, used for females and males respectively, but it doesn’t really matter; -san is for those who are higher ranked than you, or who are older; -sama is for those who are very highly ranked, like kings or your boss; -sensei is for teachers; -senpai… is for those who are a bit older than you… and are mentoring you? I’ve only really seen it in a school environment. Oh- and I can count to ten on a good day.”

“Wow! That’s not impressive, but it’s certainly more than most people who aren’t Meif'was know! Anyway, what did you come here for?”

“You didn’t answer the question- fine. I need to talk to Laurence.”

“Oh! I’ll take you right to him! And for your question, well, it’s part of my brand. Like how I refer to myself in the third person and wear bows in my hair. See how I used -kun for Garroth? I only use ‘cutsey’ honorifics, like -kun, -chan, and -senpai, when not talking to Meif’wa. Ordinarily I would use -san for him, but, well, he doesn’t really understand. Suffixes aren’t a big thing in your language, so I can get away with it. Here’s the ladder- only look down! Kawaii-Chan doesn’t want you to ruin the surprise!”

“Huh. Thanks for sharing. I won’t look around, promise.” I descend the ladder, pensive. I know Nana is somewhat putting on an act for her ‘customers’, but to hear her put it like that… well, I know she’s intelligent and can be scary, from her… shipping. Ugh, her ‘shipping shrine’ gave me nightmares when I first watched that episode!

“Hey Dallas.” I looked up, and saw Laurence sitting by the window, eating some fruit. “I could hear your voice when you came down the ladder. What’s up?”

“Uhm…” I sat down at the table. “There've been some… events, that you have missed.”

I told him about Zane, starting with his arrival, to the way he tried to get Garroth out of uniform, to Garroth’s identity reveal, to Zane’s threats to the villagers, and then Zane’s knowledge of Laurence’s 'condition'.

“What- but even Cadenza doesn’t know! I- I should leave the village. I- I could snap at any time, and with Zane knowing this, I’m just potential blackmail. I can’t even fight! It would be best if I left.”

“Listen, when Ungrth brought you back, he knew he was dying. With his last words, he begged me to let you stay here, and use the resources at my disposal to heal you. He called you his brother. I promised him that I would let no harm befall you. And I don’t break my promises. So Laurence,” I stood up so we were at eye level, and put my hands on his shoulders. “No matter what vile threat Zane pulls out of his ass or whatever blackmail he dangles over our heads, I will not. Let. Harm. Come. To. You. I will not put you in the line of fire, I will not sacrifice you to Zane so he’ll leave us alone. I promised, and moreover, I want to.”

“Dallas…” he furiously scrubs at his eyes. “That’s so… sweet. But as a Lord, you have to think of the greater good-“

“I’m sick of people telling me that! Being a Lord is about the small things too, especially in a village of only twenty-three people! Twenty three! This is barely a settlement! If I only thought about the greater good, I’d start to lose sight of that, and then I’d think that I’m somehow better than everyone else, that I’m smarter, and my opinions matter more, and I’d do things that were ultimately detrimental to the village in the name of the ‘greater good’. And hey, think about it this way! I’m looking out for village interests because Garroth is our head guard. He’s extremely valuable to village safety, with both his experience as a guard and with Phoenix Drop. And you? Well, if you go back to Meteli, then Meteli owes me twice over for saving their head guard. They may already owe me, but they will remember that when Phoenix Drop is in need. And if you stay here, become one of my guards? You’re a precious village asset, we can’t afford to lose you. So no one is going ANYWHERE except for ZANE, who is going HOME!”

“Dallas…” He sat, staring a few inches to the right of me, with a blank expression on his face. Then he smiled, ruffling my hair. “You’re a good Lord.”

“T-thanks.” I stared out into the twilight, blushing hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to do notes at the end to inform you that now  
> 1\. Laurence thinks that Dallas is a descendant of Irene (They're not, but going into further details is kinda spoilers.)  
> 2\. He shared this information with Garroth  
> 3\. They both are confused about Dallas's denial of their magic, and both have vague (and incorrect) ideas about what Dallas can do.  
> 4\. They come to the conclusion that Dallas's parents are dead, and taught them to hide their magic because shadow knights hunting the descendants of Irene (???) and then they or their parents slipped up and now Dallas is an orphan  
> 5\. This conclusion may or may not lead to Garroth bursting into tears next time he sees Dallas


	27. In which I remember a bit.

Finally! Finally! I really should have gone into this project with a better plan- perhaps have drawn up some designs, assembled a block palette, that sort of stuff. But now, now the barn is done! Finished! And I’m happy with it! Basically, the main area is the stalls for animals and stuff, and the hay loft has a bed in it for her. I don’t know how she wants to live, so I didn’t put up any walls. I… hope she will like it.

Oh! There she is!

“HEY KIKI!” I shouted down from the roof. She looked up and waved. Now, how to get down? ...I didn’t think this through. If I break one of the roof blocks I won’t be able to replace it… I terraformed a small lake out the back when I was leveling the area, just an inlet really, connecting to the bay, ...perhaps? Yeah I’m gonna jump in.

“Hey Kiki!” I said in a much more normal tone, coming round the side of the barn.

“Dallas, I… wait, why are you wet?”

“That doesn’t matter. What’s more important is… tada!” I did jazz hands. “Your barn is finished! Well, I mean, obviously, but look! Do you like it? Do you want any changes?”

“I… no Dallas, this… this is PERFECT! I- I have a home! My- my animals have a home! I can finally give them the love they deserve! This… this means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you Dallas! Thank you!”

“I- you didn’t have… a home? Wh- where have you been living the whole time you were in Phoenix Drop?”

“Oh, I’d just sleep out in the woods or with my animals! I did all the time when I ran away from home when I was younger.”

“You- OH MY GOD, Kiki, I am SO sorry, I- if I’d know you were homeless I would’ve built this  _ way _ sooner, I’ve been planning it for a while, I would’ve done it when I renovated the rest of the village, I am SO sorry Kiki, I- I just assumed you were staying with Brenden since he’s your brother and I built him a house, oh my god, I am SO sorry-“

“Why are you apologizing?” Kiki seemed genuinely confused. “I told you, I’m used to it. It’s never bothered anyone else.”

“I- what- has… no one cared whether or not you had a roof over your head?!”

“No? Why would they?”

“Not even your parents?”

“Like I said Dallas, I ran away from home all the time! They were actually more concerned when I was home, kikiki!”

I gaped at her. I opened my mouth, then closed it. I mean, what? How do I even respond to that? She isn’t even bothered?

“Oh no,” said Kiki, “are you crying?”

I hugged her really tight so she could feel how much I loved her. 

“My- my ribs- Dallas-“

“I care!” I sobbed, pulling back to look at her face. “We care!”

“But- but I’m used to it-“

“That doesn’t make it okay!” I wiped my eyes. “People are supposed to care if you don’t have a home!”

“Why?”

“Because- because they should! No one should be homeless, unless they choose to be. And, and I care because you’re my friend! And I love you!”

“D-Dallas…” she wipes away tears of her own. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s- it's what I’m supposed to do, as your friend, as your Lord. And- and I promise you, Kiki, that someone will  _ always  _ care about you!”

She smiled, and drew me into a much gentler hug.

“Well, now that I’m done thanking you… come on in guys!” she said.

I feel a faint rumble. I look up to see a literal stampede of animals coming, running out of… everywhere. I have to jump to the side to avoid being trampled. There are deer, turkeys, bees, elephants, foxes… I’m pretty sure every peaceful animal in the village just piled into the barn.

“And now, it’s time to prepare for the baby shower! Well, for me, Kawaii-Chan, and Cadenza.  _ You _ have a surprise of your own waiting for you! Go on!” I gasped. That’s right, my house! The exterior was done yesterday, and they were working on the basement. But it’s all done now!

“Does that mean- can I finally go see it?” I bounced on the balls of my feet.

“Yeah!” She gave me a light shove. “Go!”

I smiled and ran off. I had seen brief glimpses of the house- it seemed to be made out of pastel, red-orange wood- too light to be acacia- and the roof was made of a desaturated purple brown color. But up close, I could see much more detail. Just from the outside, I could see through the huge windows, and see that the first floor was an open space. The building is shaped sort of like an L, but there was a balcony on the second floor, facing the village, that squared the whole building out. The front door, made of the same wood as the roof, was in the indent of the L, under the balcony.

I walked inside. I immediately noticed that the floor was bright yellow, though thankfully not made of the same material that Nana made her floors out of. In the main portion of the room sat a large dining table, big enough to fit all the current residents of the house plus Garroth plus extra. Blue lamps hung from the cross beams, though they were dark enough to be mistaken as black, providing ambient lighting. The sticking out portion of the L is a kitchen, with all the appliances and plenty of cupboards. The kitchen is tiled, with what I think is purple glazed terra-cotta- yup, it’s still got that vanilla texture. Now I don’t hate glazed terra-cotta, there’s just some of them I will never use. Thankfully, purple glazed terra-cotta is not one of them.

In the very back of the house is a spiral staircase leading both up and down. It’s made of purple wooden slabs- they look like they’re from the same trees as were planted outside. I decide to go up first. 

The floor of the second floor is pink, probably the same material as was used for the dining room floors. There are two doors- I went through the one directly in front of me. It’s obviously a bedroom- my bedroom- because of the sky blue bed surrounded by armor stands will all the outfits Cadenza made me, plus my enchanted diamond armor. Even the dress is there! My sword hangs in a picture frame on the opposite wall from the door, past the armor stands. There is a chest in the room, but no crafting bench. I immediately put one in. There is orange wool carpet on the floor, and one of those small purple flowers in a pot on a nightstand next to my bed. There are two doors from my bedroom, one leading into the room I didn’t go into before, the other the balcony. I saw the balcony from the outside, so I headed into the small room.

It looks to be a small study, the small desk I had taken from the old Lord’s house surrounded by mostly empty bookshelves. I can see Garroth has been here already, from the small organized stack of papers on the desk. I stare at the bookshelves. Whenever I craft a bookshelf, it’s already filled, though with empty books. Oh! When I was enchanting my armor and sword, I used books, because, well, want not waste not. Or is it waste not want not? Anyway, I have a lot of enchanted books in a chest downstairs, plus some extras from when I took the enchanting room down. That’s what I’ll be filling the shelves with.

Since I checked out the upstairs, I decided to go to the basement. The main room of the basement has all my double chests lined up neatly on the wall across from the stairs, with wood signs in front of them. I think- yeah, they copied the exact signs that I had. I mean, why would they write ‘wood 2: electric boogaloo’. The basement itself is a lot larger than the floor plan of the first floor, but the support beams Th the corners of the house ran down into the basement, clearly marking out the house above. A great window was carved into the hill, letting light stream in. There is a table and some chairs in the middle of it, and the same blue lamps provide lighting. The floor is brown-red… basement color. It even looks like cement too. I would know, my bedroom in mom’s house is in the basement.

Zoey’s, Levin’s, and the guest room were all marked by colored doors- green, light blue, and light grey respectively. I peek inside Zoey’s room, and see she has a rainbow collection of flowers lined up on her window sill, and magic elf stuff lining the walls. The floor is dark green, with a subtle pattern on it. I’m pretty sure they just carved out the basement and put in new walls, because this is not where I put rooms at all. Also, Zoey’s room has a door into Levin’s room.

Levin’s room has the same tiles on the floor, only blue this time. Half of his room has a blue and white checkered carpet on it, with toys strewn across it. His crib is in the corner of the room, with his playmobil above it.

The guest room is light grey and impersonal.

“Who’s there?” demands Laurence, twisting away from the window to face the wall near the door.

“It’s me, Dallas!” I call.

“Oh! Are you checking out the new house?”

“Yeah!” I joined him on the bed.

“It smells like cakes here. Was Kawaii-Chan baking?” I sniffed the air. He was right, it does smell like cakes.

“No idea. It’s probably for the baby shower later- I think she gave us a better kitchen than her own, which is ridiculous- she’s a baker."

“She’s a very sweet girl. You have some nice friends.”

I smiled. “Yeah. By the way, you should come to the baby shower. It will be nice for you to go out and get some fresh air. Plus, it’d be fun.”

“I- um, don’t think I’m the most fun person to be around right now.”

“Laurence, have you been out at all?” He’s silent. “Yeah, you’re coming out with me.”

“I-“

“Eh eh eh eh eh! No buts! No arguing! If I have to drag you there by your ankles to get you to come, I will.”

“But-but my clothes! They’re ripped and dirty… right? I can’t possibly go out like this!”

“Your sister is a seamstress. I’m sure she’ll be able to figure something out, if she hasn’t made you an outfit already.” Just as I finished saying that, I heard a knock on the door, and Cadenza entered. “Well, speak of the devil!”

“Sorry,” she said, brandishing a stack of clothes, “I couldn’t help but catch the tail end of that conversation. I don’t have one outfit prepared. I have an entire wardrobe! Of course, most of it is your clothes that I had brought over from Meteli, but I couldn’t help but notice your jacket was missing! So I made you a new one!”

“Cadenza, what? How’d you get here so fast?” said Laurence.

“Actually, I was already on my way over. Kiki and Kawaii-Chan told me about their plans for the baby shower, and I knew I couldn’t allow you to go looking like that! I mean, I had to keep you from going to your Guard Ceremony in nothing more than your training clothes! Though I’m sure the ladies of the village would have gotten a kick out of seeing your abs.”

“Caz!”

“Ugh, look at you! Your hair’s a mess and the dye’s coming out! Do you want me to fix it up or wash it out?”

“You mean turn my hair back to the color it was BEFORE you turned into a chicken? Yeah, that would be nice.”

“Wait, your hair’s dyed?” I interjected. Wait, why am I surprised? I already knew this.

“Haha! I uh, well, I was only going to leave it like that for one day, but well, I was turned into a chicken, and…”

“My whole face was stained red! My bed looked like someone got murdered on it!”

“Hey! You’re the one who said to do something nice with your hair!”

“Yeah, I meant style it or cut it!”

“Well, my hair is nice, so I figured... And it looks good on you! Really brings out your eyes.”

“I said I didn’t want to dye it multiple times, but she insisted. I don’t even like this color, Caz just looks like her head’s on fire all the time! Because, unlike what you think, I actually DO care about my appearance, and wanted to look good for the Guard Ceremony when Hayden or Kenmur got elected!”

“You should’ve seen his face when I showed him the mirror. He looked like someone had kicked a puppy right in front of him, hahaha!”

“Ha… hahahaha!”

“Now that smile there, that’s the Laurence I know! Come on, let’s get you cleaned up! Lord Dallas, you’re not going to recognize him once I’m done! ...I’m serious, he will look like a whole new person. Now, shoo so I can work my magic!” I left the room, giggling.

I ascended the stairs back to my room, and decided to check out the balcony. The view is… I can see the whole village from here. It looks… so small. Especially with the forest surrounding it.

“Well, do you like it?”

“Ah!” I turned around quickly. “Kawaii-Chan, you startled me!” 

“Hehe! I wanted to give you some room to explore the house first. You mentioned viewing the sunsets with your father, and how much you liked them... so I built this balcony facing west so you could see them every night.”

“I-” I stifled a sob behind a hand, and blinked away the sudden wetness in my eyes. “You remembered? I.... that’s so sweet, Kawaii-Chan! I- thank you thank you thank you! The house is perfect!”

“I’m glad you-” I hugged her tightly, letting my tears soak into her apron. “C-can’t b-breathe, Dallas…”

I let her go. 

“I’m really glad that you like it. I tried to mimic the style of the houses you built around the village, but I wasn’t sure I succeeded. Um, by the way… is Laurence coming to the baby shower? I talked to him a bit while I was renovating the house, and… I think it would do him good!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he attends!” I smile at her.

“That’s great! Kawaii-Chan is heading home now, ciao!” Isn’t ciao from… italian? Whatever. I better get started on those papers unless I want them to find their way onto Garroth’s desk.

  
  


“So we’ve decided to have the baby shower tomorrow to coincide with the solstice,” Kiki said as Nana nodded along.

I stopped reading the incident report I was going over, and set my pen down.

“ Uh, Dallas? Are you ok?” asked Nana.

“The solstice? Which solstice?” Minecraft doesn’t have seasons, so how do they name the solstices and equinoxes?

“Uh… white solstice? I mean, we didn’t really get to celebrate the yellow solstice, with Garroth being injured and all, and you were away for the red equinox. Why are you so pale?” It was June when I woke up here. It’s been five months since then. I… guess I really didn’t think about it. If I remember my earth science class correctly, the winter solstice tends to fall around December twenty-second. I startle at the sudden contact on my shoulder.

“I’m fine Kiki,” I said, removing her hand. “It’s just… I forgot tomorrow was the solstice. That means it’s been five months exactly since I became Lord tomorrow, and…”

“And?” Nana pressed.

“My- my birthday… it’s seven- a week after the solstice. I- I… I usually spend it with one of my parents.” I don’t think that I’ve thought about home in a while. I miss it everyday, of course, but that’s more about the creature comforts. But… I don’t think I’ve  _ really _ thought about it. My mom, my dad… my family and friends. My real home. I mean, my ultimate goal is to return home, but… I guess I’ve just been so busy that it became more of an… afterthought.

“...Oh, Dallas,” Kiki began.

“It’s fine, I just… can I have a moment alone, please?” I dropped my face into my hands.

“Of course! We’ll tell everyone not to bother you.” I heard their footsteps retreat, and then the door to my office closing. I look up, dragging my hands down my face and sighing. I give the incident report a cursory glance, and decide to finish going over and filing it later. I put the cap on my inkwell and set my pen aside. I go into my bedroom, dragging my feet on the plush carpet, and dramatically collapse onto the bed face first.

The fact that my birthday is in a week- that I’ll be seventeen in a week- it just doesn’t seem real to me. I should be midway through my senior year, deciding which of the colleges that accepted me I would go to, arguing with everyone about taking a gap year even though I’ve been saying that since seventh grade and they were cool with it then. I mean, yeah, I’ve always wished for an escape from the stress and monotony of real life, but I usually envisioned that escape as well, death. But…

But I didn’t want to leave everyone behind. If I was dead, I would be able to miss them, because I’d be dead. But I’m alive and missing them, and they probably think I’m dead, and I never wanted them to go through that, that’s why I haven’t killed myself yet, but now it’s like all of them are dead and I want to go home.

“Hey…. Hey…. Dallas,” I blink my eyes open. I shift around on my bed. At some point someone had come into my room and tucked me in. It was probably Zoey.

“Mmmm… Garroth?” I rubbed my eyes and looked up. It was still weird seeing him without his helmet.

“I’m sorry to wake you up, but there’s something in the plaza you need to see.” I sat up, all traces of sleepiness gone.

“Is it Zane?”

“No, that’s the problem. He’s retreated into the farmhouse, and we have no idea what he is doing. But… just follow me, I'm not sure how to describe it.”

I got up, and tugged my shoes on. Then I reached for my jacket- wait, where is my jacket?

“Hey Garroth, do you see my jacket?”

“No, maybe Zoey took it to put it in the wash?” I guess. I mean, it’s not like I need the jacket anyway. Minecraft plains and forest biomes are pretty temperate.

“Anyway, let’s go.”

“It’s in there.” Garroth pointed in the hole that the O’Khasis guards had been digging out. I couldn’t see the bottom, there was just… endless blackness. I slowly walked down, one block at a time. No, I realized, seeing blocks of purple glowstone, this hole was very shallow. The blackness was probably bedrock, but it looked nothing like ordinary bedrock, even with this texture pack. The bedrock looks black, sure, but it also has a rock overlay on it. I knew the blackness couldn’t be broken by anything in this world. But it looked… vantablack. Black 3.0 black. I reached out, with one bare hand, and touched it.

Instantly, I recoiled. The blackness felt simultaneously like the hottest thing I’ve ever touched and the coldest thing I’ve ever touched, like sand on a hot day. I climbed out of the hole, and counted the depth of it. Now, where is that- ah, yeah. I took off at a dead sprint.

“M’Lord! Wait!” Garroth called.

Right, okay, I think it’s about here. Now, Dig four blocks down. I hit stone and, yet…

“This doesn’t make sense!” I spat, throwing my shovel into the dirt. “Why would it be there and not here! This area doesn’t even have crystals or specks of it!”

“Dallas, is this… the place Laurence was found in?” Garroth asked.

“Yeah!” I angrily refilled the hole. “It’s- that stuff, the blackness, it’s… it should be where Ungrth broke through the realm barrier! But it’s not! It’s in the plaza! Unless..” 

“Unless what?”

“Unless Zane is doing something to it to make it… expand or something.”

“I- but what purpose does that serve?”

“I don’t know! Maybe they think they can make a portal by linking the two realms up through the tears? But this stuff isn’t the tear! It’s not leaking out from the Void! You’d know if it was from the Void! This stuff doesn’t really do anything, it just hurts when you touch it.”

“Still... if Zane is cultivating it… it’s cause for worry. What- what should we do?” I stood up, eyes hard, and looked him in the eyes. 

“There’s not much we can do. We have no evidence he’s the one cultivating it, and even if we did, we have no reason to attack him for it. It would be best not to spread panic about it. You, Dale, and Brain need to be on high alert. If Zane comes out… keep an eye on him. Tell… tell Laurence about it as well. But the four of you cannot tell people about it. ...I’ll get Zoey to put a protective barrier around the children, if possible. The baby shower will go on. But… there is one upside to all of this. It means Zane is leaving soon.” I smile. “Not today, not tomorrow…. But maybe the day after.” 

“How do you… is that one of your… magic things?” 

“No, no. It’s not magick. I just know.”

“Uh. Sounds… Whatever you say, M’lord.” I smiled at him, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Now..." I said. "We wait."


	28. The quiet and the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me to myself: I will not tell people i redid chapter 24. they can discover it on their own. I will not be obnoxious.  
> Me one chapter later: I'm proud and I want others to see it  
> yeah so I did chapter 24 and also chapter 1, though I'm much more proud of chapter 24. I had so many ideas for this chapter picture, but I don't have the technical skill, so...  
> Also, I want Dallas's birthday to be posted on June 22- the first birthday of this fanfic, but it's not like I can stretch the seven days after the events in this chapter out so far... tho I've had this chapter written for a few weeks, so...

Surely… I stared at the cake. I mean, no one else was eating it. Surely… no one would mind if I took a slice… or five. I furtively glanced around, but everyone was paying attention to the babies. Just… 

“Got a sweet tooth, have you?” I whirled around, clutching my prize to my chest. “Y’know, it’s not healthy to eat that much cake.”

“C’mon Zoey,” I said, “it’s a party! Everyone knows you’re allowed to pig out during parties!”

“It may be a party, but… that’s enough cake for tonight, yeah?”

“Ugh, you sound just like my dad…” I trailed off, looking over Zoey’s shoulder. Is that- what’s Zane doing here? I watch as he goes and speaks to Dale, and then leaves.

“-it’s important to be mindful of your health-“

“Hey, Zoey…” I interrupted. “Did you give the babies those charm-things yet?”

“Of course, they’re on the present table! It’s so thoughtful of you to look out for our weakest members, and it’s a lot more original than what I was going to give… I mean, they’re practically swimming in stuffed animals!”

“Thanks, Zoey,” I said, smiling. I wiped my hands on the back of my overall-dress - with my jacket missing, I figured this was the best semi-formal outfit I could wear- and headed over to Dale.

“Ah! Lord Dallas, Zane said he was busy but he wanted to drop by to give Alexis a very beautiful necklace! That was so kind of him- it looks expensive! ...By the way, nothing to report.”

“Well, that’s…” I very carefully didn’t grimace. “Nice of him.”

Garroth was outside the barn- while Dale was technically off duty- he wasn’t wearing armor or anything- he was keeping watch on the inside of the barn, and was responsible for getting all villagers to the safe house in the mines- and leading them to Meteli, if necessary. Garroth was keeping watch outside, and Brian was patrolling. I felt a little bad for making him miss his sister’s baby shower, but well… needs must.

“Garroth,” I said to him. “Zane just…”

“Yes. I was watching. I don’t know what he’s up to… but please, be careful.” I noticed that he was wearing his helmet again.

“I will. ..I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” I smirked a little as I quoted one of my favorite sets of movies… er… story? Even the fact that no-one understands my quips doesn’t stop me from making them.

“As do I.” Garroth stared out into the shadows of the trees, broodingly, which is not his aesthetic at all.

“Hey Garroth, I know everything is…” I made a hand gesture, trying to communicate all the craziness that’s been happening. “But please don’t let it stop you from enjoying the party. Life is something to celebrate!”

“I’ll remember your words, M’Lord.” I patted him on the shoulder.

Now. Zane. I really don’t want to deal with him. He makes me so riled up! And the fact that I can only snipe at him verbally makes me feel so… helpless. I hate it. I hate him. I… I don’t hate him. I can only hate people who do horrible things just to benefit themselves and feel no remorse- like Palpatine or Danzo from Naruto. And so far… well, he’s been a dick… but he’s just doing his job. Admittedly with unnecessary cruelty.

“What?” He drawls, in that infuriatingly smug tone. No, Dallas! Calm. Deep breaths. “Can’t I give the children a gift without being stared at judgmentally? You really need to work on your manners Lady Dallas.”

“Well… maybe since you threatened to burn her alive not two days ago, you can forgive me for being on edge. And really, saying that _I_ need to work on my manners? Don’t be a hypocrite.”

“Touché. By the way… have you finally conceded to letting Garroth fulfill his duty as first born to the Lord of O’Khasis?”

“... What if… what if Garroth- what if Garroth has another woman in his life? I mean, it takes two to tango.”

“Oh? And who would this woman be to you, _Lord_ Dallas.” He takes a step closer, and it takes all my confidence to not show how much he’s affecting me.

“I don’t know what you’re insinuating….?” I am lost. I am so lost. What does he _mean_? God dammit, I shouldn’t have made that a question. I should’ve made it cold and harsh, like I do know what he’s insinuating.

“Come now, I’ve heard you call Levin your brother.”

“Well, yes. Me and Zoey take as much care of him as Garroth does. Plus, Garroth’s like… an older brother to me. Why wouldn’t I consider Levin my younger brother?”

“Oh, so you’re saying that my _dear_ older brother Garroth, whom I care for… _intensely_ … has… a girlfriend, a fiancée, a lover, whatever. She’d probably be a woman of power to be of consequence in Garroth’s marriage contract. And you… so young. Became a Lord as soon as you turned of age, hmm? But if my brother had this person, I should see her around, right? Accompanying him to the wedding, perhaps. And yet… no one was there. Levin, his son, has a room in your house. Tell me, Dallas… where are your parents?” Wait… my brow furrowed as I unraveled what he said. Okay, so he said Lord… then mentioned my age… and then Levin? And then he asked… about my parents? What? Oh! He thinks- he thinks- I think he thinks that, probably, that my mom was Garroth’s non-existent significant other, and that… she’s dead? I stare at him. What do I even say to that? Oh, I’ve got it!

I stare at his legs. I stare intensely at his legs. I _glare_ at his legs.

“.... What are you doing?” Oh, did I unsettle him? Good.

“I figure that your legs must be very muscular from jumping to all those conclusions. And anyway, this is all just hypothetical. Look, just to be clear… were you insinuating that my mom… and Garroth… I mean, he’s like what, twenty nine? Thirty two? My mom’s almost fifty. That would be…” I shuddered.

“Thirty two? I… where’d you get that from?”

“I mean… he seems… I dunno. Is he… how old is he?”

“Twenty three.” I blinked. I twisted around and stared at Garroth.

“Twenty three?” I turned back around. “ _Twenty three_? Him?” 

“Heh… hahahahaha! Oh this is good! Hahahahaha! You- you thought that Garroth was- was thirty two!”

I blushed, covering my face with my hands. “I don’t know! I’m bad at telling people’s ages! I mean, you’re tiny and then you get bigger, and then you stay like that until you get grey hair!”

“Anyway,” he said, in a much more somber tone. “As long as I’m alive, Garroth _will_ get married to the daughter of the Lord of Scaleswind. No scheming on your part will change that… unless… Dallas, you and I should have a picnic one day. Without our guards. Deep into the woods.”

“Oh my!” I put my hand over my mouth in faux concern. “Well, gosh, that does sound like something unfortunate could so very easily happen then! Accidentally. Why, a picnic does sound very nice. Deep in the forest, where no one could hear you….”

“Well, it’s been a pleasure, as always. But unfortunately, I must depart now. Enjoy your celebration! You only have one more day with Garroth, after all.” I watch as he and his guards walk away. He’s probably smirking under there.

“Dallas, what did he say? Dallas?” I sighed as Garroth rushed to my side.

“You can call Brian off patrol. He should join the party. We can too.”

“What- why? What did he say?”

“Everyone should enjoy this bit of happiness.”

“ _Dallas, what did he say?_ If he threatened you, I swear upon Irene-“

“Not me.” I shook my head. “Tomorrow…. We should tell Dale to make sure Delilah is wearing her protection charm- the one that Zoey made. I- I don’t know what-“ My voice broke.

“Dallas… what’s going to happen tomorrow?” I look into his sky-blue eyes. At some point he had taken off his helmet, and was kneeling in front of me.

“I- I don’t know!” My eyes were wet with unshed tears. “I- I just know he’s going to leave tomorrow. Without you. I just feel… dread and anger and sorrow and terror and-“

He hugged me. I relax into his tabard. On the front on his tabard is the symbol of Phoenix Drop- a teardrop with wings wrapped around it. I trace it with a fingertip as I shake.

“I won’t let anything happen to you or anyone in this village.” He said, sounding so sure of himself.

“We… should get back to the celebrations.”

“Of course, M’Lord.”

It was weird, going back into the vividly lit barn, to people laughing and rejoicing. I sit down at an empty table, grabbing my neglected plate of cake, and resolve to stuff my face until I stop wanting to cry.

“Hey Cadenza!” Someone- I think it’s Molly- says. “We were wondering when you would show up!”

“Not just me!” Cadenza says proudly. “Da da da-da daaa! Cadenza Beauty is proud to present… the old Laurence!”

Oh, that’s right. When I went to go fetch Laurence, I was shooed out of the room by an excited Cadenza. And wow, he looks very different! He has his regular brown hair, of course, but he’s also wearing a blue vest, with a belt going diagonally across it, and brown fingerless gloves.

“Wow Laurence,” says Zoey, I think, “you look so different!”

“Well, you’re telling me!” He jokes.

“Hey, we should perform some music!” says a thoroughly drunk Dale. Where’d he even get the alcohol? Logan isn’t here!

“Dallas, you’re always singing, c’mon!” Zoey says. The way she’s giggling makes me believe that Dale had shared some of his stash.

“Uhh…” I said, but I was already out of my seat. Dale had a guitar from… somewhere. “I, uh… don’t really know… I only know a few songs on the guitar.”

“Then play them! C’mon!”

“I- Uh..” I strummed a few chords, before settling on the first note.

“Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly/ all your life/ you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ take these sunken eyes and learn to see/ all your life/ you were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Blackbird fly/Blackbird fly/ into the light of a dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly/ all your life/ you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

You were only waiting for this moment to arise/ you were only waiting for this moment to arise/ you were only waiting for this moment to arise.” I strummed the final few chords. Scattered applause broke out.

“Well, that was a rather sad song!” Dale said, taking the guitar back.

“Well, you asked!” I said defensively.

“‘S not a bad thing!” He strummed a few notes. “I’ll just have to lighten the mood, is all!”

Then he launched into what I assume is a drinking song. It has a nice beat to it, though. I sigh. It’s nice to see everyone so happy. They pass around the guitar. Laurence has a nice voice. I manage to nick Dale’s beer the second time he gets the guitar. By her second bottle- that I saw her drink, at least- Zoey took out this instrument that looked like a zither and a mbira had a passionate lovemaking session in a field of flowers, and then the resulting child got ganbanged by the entire brass section of my middle-school band. And when Zoey sang… maybe it was the instrument, maybe it was her voice, but they combined into something ethereal. It resonated beautifully on several levels, beyond what any human could perform. It sounded almost… melancholic. 

“It’s kind of sad, isn’t it?” murmured Laurence.

“Yeah… it’s like… knowing you can’t go home, because… home doesn’t exist anymore.” 

Laurence pulled me into his side with one arm. “Oh, Dallas…”

Eventually, at around midnight, the party ended. The babies had long been put to bed, but it was finally time for us to join them. We slowly stumbled into bed. I almost ran into as many things as Laurence. The party was left to be cleaned up in the morning.

I stared at the rift in the ceiling. I swallowed slowly. Then I turned around and walked into the fortress. 

“GRAH!” Gene punched the iron bars, and Vylad hid a flinch.

“Still hasn’t talked yet, hmm?”

“We've tried everything, and yet…”

“We don’t have the kid’s life to hang over his head anymore. He’s got nothing to lose.”

“This is why we don’t let Shadows keep their memories. Useless! Useless useless useless!”

“Well, there’s no use in complaining now. Besides, perhaps that wyvern did us a favor. We might be able to use that.”

“Do you think we can even…?”

“Perhaps. With help on the other side. Hehehe… and when we do, you won’t be able to protect the little lordling, Vylad!” I smile cruelly, shoving my face against the bars. Vylad makes eye contact, glaring balefully. 

I woke up, tumbling out of bed. My hands reached into the nearby chest for my sword. My armor was strapped on instantly, and I began running while tugging on my boots. 

“Dallas?” asked Zoey. “Where are you-”

I ran out the front door.

“Dallas-Chan? Where-” Plaza. I need to get to the plaza. 

I skid to a stop. The blackness… it’s consumed the entire plaza. Zane stands over a small bundle of fabric. No, I realize with a chill- even in the predawn light, I can tell- it’s Delilah.

“Not one step closer, Lord Dallas.”

“Zane! What are you-“

“As amusing as you have been, I’ve grown tired of your arrogance. You’re going to wish you never stood in my way.”

“Don’t you dare touch-“

“Now witness the TRUE power of the SHADOWS!” His eye lit up a vivid pink, then darkened to blood red. Swirls of pink and red magick burst from the object Zane was holding, whipping throughout the plaza. I wince and slap my hands over my ears as the unholy love child of microphone feedback and your neighbors moving furniture at three AM rang out across the desecrated plaza.

When I look up, an adult in full Shadow Knight regalia stands in front of me, and Delilah is nowhere to be seen. Wait- in red lettering, above the Shadow Knight's head, the name Delilah hangs in the air.

“Now,” Zane says, his eye flashing pink-red again, “ **kill her.** ”

Delilah charges at me recklessly. Obviously whatever Zane did to her didn’t give her the skills or the muscles necessary to being a swordsman, I reflect as I easily deflect her wild and weak blows. She treats her sword like a club. I slam the flat of my blade into the back of her hand with all the force I can muster, and her hand spasms, dropping her sword. I waste no time in kicking it away. One of the first things Garroth taught me was how to disarm an opponent, and I send a silent thanks to him for it.

Now deprived of a weapon, she flings herself at me with a fist raised. Her punch goes past me, and she stumbles. I de-summon my sword, grab her outstretched wrist, and dart behind her. I kick the inside of her knees, sending her tumbling to the ground, with me on top of her. I grab her other wrist and sit on top of her hips, effectively pinning her.

 _Shit!_ I think as she starts to thrash below me. I didn’t think of the logistics of keeping someone both bigger and heavier than me pinned under my weight. She manages to fling me off of her, and I go tumbling across the plaza, hissing as the blackness nips at any exposed skin.

Delilah staggers to her feet as I slowly reorient myself. I sit up to see her in front of me, fist drawn back, aimed right at my unprotected face. I throw my arms in front of my face, bracing for her blow, when-

“Excuse me?” Molly’s voice rings out across the plaza.

“Molly, you have to get out of here-“

“Have you seen my baby?” she addresses Delilah, deaf to my pleas. Delilah seems to shudder in response, lowering her fist and drawing into herself. With trembling fingers, she reaches up and throws her helmet aside.

“.... mama?” She whimpers, violet eyes wide. And finally, whatever magick Zane casted on her seemed to take its toll, as she stumbles, and collapses into a dead faint.

“What- Dallas, why did this woman call me ‘mama’?” Zane! I had almost forgotten about him. I get to my feet, snarling. I glance towards the podium he was standing behind, but he’s already gone. 

“Fuck!” I snarl, and start running towards the farmhouse. One wall of it just seems to be completely destroyed, and I leap into the dark house. Nothing. Nothing but skeletons. The rising suns rays highlight the angry tears running down my face.

“Dallas!” The door splinters beneath Garroth’s fists. “Where is he!”

“Gone,” I spit. “I told you. Something happened and he had to go back to O’Khasis immediately. It looks like you’re off the hook, Garroth.”

“I- I should’ve done something sooner… this is all my fault…”

“Garroth, now isn’t the time to point fingers- though it _is_ Zane’s fault- we need to make sure everyone’s safe.”

“Agreed. Dale was unable to get everyone into the mines because of the plaza being…. the epicenter. Dale and I will go from house to house, making sure everyone’s fine. Brian, you try to identify the skeletons. Dallas…”

“I’ll talk to Emmalyn. If anyone here would know some sort of purification ritual that isn’t fire, it would be her.”

“Alright. And if any of us find Zane… we make him _pay_.”

“Deal,” I say. Garroth leaves the house at a brisk pace.

I turn to Brian.

“I don’t know if it’s good or not… but these bodies seem to be old, from at least a year ago. And they’re covered in dirt- odds are that they were dug up from a grave.”

I swallow. “Is it possible… that one of them is the old Lord?”

He shakes his head. “No, none of them are charred.”

I turn to look at the blackness. Just what is this stuff? I look around it a bit, trying to see if there’s anything hidden there. Nothing. Nothing nothing nothing! 

“Ugh!” I kick the ground in frustration. It makes an oddly hollow sound. Wait, what? I squat down, looking at the block. With a gloved hand, I hesitantly press down- and it opens with a trapdoor sound. I make eye contact with Brian. “I’m going in.”

I slowly descend down the ladder, and enter into a black void. The only piece of color is the white platform I’m standing on. It’s square, and at the far end is some kind of altar, though it looks more like an empty vanity. There’s a slot where it looks like something circular could be placed into the desk, and I can see tiny redstone lines in the indent. The mirror doesn’t show my reflection. And that’s it.

I press a hand to my neck, and feel my heartbeat. One, two, three… that’s not my heartbeat! I draw my sword and look around wildly. I can’t hear the noise, but oh, can I feel it. A deep regular thumping, like going to a concert or standing in front of a nightclub. I look around wildly, but there’s nothing here but the vanity. The vanity… I reach up to the corners of the mirror, and take it off.

I gag, and drop the mirror. Both hands cover my nose and I stagger away from the vanity. The sweet stench of rot is overwhelming. I stare at the… thing that was behind the mirror.

It looks like a heart, I think. It’s black and shriveled, and each time it beats, black blood drips down it. I think there’s mold growing on it. Veins and aortas extend out from it, connecting it to the rest of the black mass inside the vanity. It’s alive, I realize. The vanity is alive.

I need to put it out of its misery. I take a shirt from my inventory and wrap it around my face, as a makeshift mask. I summon my sword to my hand, and slowly approach the heart, weapon raised. I prepare to stab it, when I hear something behind me.

“ _P̶̦̔ḻ̶̉e̷̢̿a̴̱̕s̴̙̃e̶̱̊…_ ” something groaned behind me. It sounds old, or like a dying person. It makes my hair stand on end and sends chills down my spine. “ _D̷̒͜o̴̱͛n̵̤͂’̷̙̅t̵͚̏…̸̙̏_ ”

I pivot, sword raised. The thing that spoke… I could only describe it as… unnatural. It was some sort of wraith, with a black robe, but it’s face seemed to shift, never settling on any distinctive features, making its face seem smudged. 

“ _H̵̖͗u̵͈̇r̸͆͜ẗ̵͈s̷̳͝…_ ” it moans.

“I’ll put you out of your misery,” I promise solemnly, and turn back to the heart.

“ _N̴o̵…̴ ̵I̶…̵ ̵a̷l̷i̵v̶e̶…̵.̶ ̸s̴u̸n̸…̶.̷ ̵H̷u̷r̷t̴s̶…̸ ̴I̴ ̵w̸a̵n̴t̸…̶.̴ ̶C̶a̴n̴’̷t̵ ̷r̸e̶m̶e̷m̸b̸e̸r̸…̵ ̸̳̍t̵̹̄h̸͔̓ē̵̗ ̷͈̄s̶̯͌u̵͈͋n̴̮͒…̷̻͘ ̴̭̎d̴͕͛ơ̴̭n̸̳̔’̸͔̓t̴͕͒…̷̩͝.̸͇̍ ̷̹̓I̴͉ ̷̖̇ẃ̸̬ä̵̘́n̶̻̂t̷͖͛…̴̹̇ ̴̥͐t̵̻̑ô̸̜ ̸̢̅l̴̠͌i̵̦̎v̵̘͂e̵̖̅…̴̢̋ ̷͇͋p̸͙̓l̶͔e̸͙͆ǎ̶̹s̵̠͝ẹ̶̌…̸̺̿ ̴̹̊Í̶͔ ̴̏ͅw̶̻̚a̴̬͛s̴̡͊…̶̮̂.̵͍͊ ̷͇͐P̷͕͆l̴̝͗e̸͉͝à̸͉s̸͕̋ẻ̴͍…̷͛͜.̵̼̉ ̸͉͒ṉ̵̛o̵̝͝…̷̘͝”_ It tries to put its hands over mine.

“This isn’t right. Surely you know that. Everything will be better once your soul is no longer so… mangled.” I raise my sword.

“N̷̠͝o̵̥͝.̶̝̾.̸̤̀ ̴̗̂n̷̡̼͝o̸̯̱͑̆…̶͍͇͑ N̵̟̝̖̉̊̈́̚O̷̧͚͓̖͒̄̾͝!̶̩̈͠” It darts in front of me, it’s features more distorted than ever. “N̷̛͉̥̜̰͐̒̓͊̂̔̂͛̾O̷̬̿̿͗̄Ȏ̴̫̲̮̜̬̦̯̬̀͒̒̂̏͗̔̐̋̋̆̌͗͝O̵̬͑́̇͐̇̿̓̓̅̐͂̄̌̚O̶͎͗̈̔̋̉̈́̊̿̾̈́͘͘͠!̷̡̟͉̘̱̩̭̽͂̿̾̄̑͝”

I begin to drive my sword, but it’s features… settle. The shifting stops, or rather is confined to it’s edges. They were familiar. The fresh-shaved stubble. The too-short haircut that only looks good on him when he decides it’s time for a haircut. Laugh lines worn into his face. Black, wire frame glasses. Freshly pressed dress shirt.

“ **You’ve made a mistake.** ” I snarled. My sword embeds itself far deeper into the vanity than the depth of the cabinet would allow, with a grotesque, organic sound. Black, rotting blood sprays out, bubbling around my sword in synchrony with the heart beats. The white of the vanity is stained a deep maroon. I pant harshly in the quiet.

“Ė̸̘̩̞̎̎̅͗͛̾͋͗̓̓̔͗̍͊͂̄͐͌̏̔̐̈́̈́́̃̈́́͗̂̕̕̕͠ȩ̵̡̢̨͓̲̻̣̪̟̬͇͎̯͔̱̹̟͔̼̘̻̦͖͉͍̝̜͝ͅę̴̛̛̘̖̥̟̪̤̦̤͗͋̅̈́̿͑̑͂̉̎̾̀̿̿͒̊̇̈̏͛̓̓͝͝͝ͅͅẻ̶̡̢̢̛̥̗̺̯̯̰͓̙͍̬̬̺̗̻͉̝͚̹̱̤̯̺̖̝͈̼̯̩͆̆̎̈̈́̒͐̉̉̃͌͜͝ͅͅͅͅ…̷̡̢̧̨̛̪̤͚̩̱̫̮͇͚̪̹̯̯͔͚̝̘̩̠̪̱̼̟̗̤̤̻̯̬̪̤͕͈͉̼̦͇̼̹̗̝̾̍̋͗̋̉̐́̈́́̓̐̊͛̍̚̕͠ͅ ̷̲͕͚͛̅̒͛̉̓͋͐́̆͐̔̕͠e̵̡̨̛̜̮̫͉͓͔̰̪͕͚̯͆͋̑̈̔̒̓͆̈́̀̓̃̓̾̀̋̓̍̈́̇̓̂̆̏̕̚̕͜͜͝͝ͅȩ̴̢̧̨̡̢̢̛̥͍̤̳̝͖͔͔̹̹̙̭̳̬̯̹͚̳̗̯̠͇̲̮̮͚͙̱̥͇̟̓͛͗̓̍̓͋͛̐͗̈̋̈͋̾̔̏̍̄̔͑̓͒̏͑͆̇͂̒̈͐͘̕͜͜͜͝͠͝͝͝ę̶̢̧̧̧̨̛̥̰̝̥̱̬͉̼͓̮̻̱̰̤̱̻̻͖̰̟̹͉̬͓̱͓̦̺͇̘̰̘͙̫̤̖̭̼͈̩̘̻̠̘͐̈́̇͆͊̒͒͒̓͂̂̈́̏͗̽̃͗̀͐̐̍̋̓̇͑̽̈́́͊̄͘̚͝͝ę̷̡͖̰̗̼͈͕̮̜͙̰͇̗̋̾ͅę̷̛̯̩̱̠͉͍̤̲̝̜̘̳̳͚̟̦̟̦̣̻̮̫̫̗̌̇͆̽̽̈́͗̍͋̄͊̅͛̌̽̃̈̾͛̑̑̾͑̓̀̂̋̉͋̅͛̚̚͘̕͜͜͜͠͝ͅͅĘ̵̗̲͕̱̹̼̪̝̠͓͈̲̝̩͖͙̺͍̥̩̒̇̈̾̒͛̓̍̚͘͜͝Ę̸̡̨̝̯̠̻̳̰̫̯̱̯̣̟̣̳͈͑̈͆͋̊͆͗́͌̉̈́͑̔͂͐̅͒͑͌̒͆̿͒̿͊̍͂͘͝͠͝͝ͅȨ̸̧̡̛͓̲̯̬̥̉̽̑̏͒̑̇̿̈́̊̔̃͗̉͌̋͑̈̽͂̐̉́̎̓̚͘̚̕̕Ę̶̢̨̧̡̛͎͍̬̤̬̘̠̯̠̮̻̻͕̳̤̺̮̼̫̠̹̖̻̪̥̝͔̹̠͎̰̲͓̺̓̋͑͊̍̊̒͋͆̑̈́̑͑̍͊̍͑͂̆̈̈́̋̊̒̾͛̒̿͂̃͒̐́͂̀̉̚̚̕̚͝͠Ȩ̷̧̡̧̨̛̛̳̬̫̗̺̜̬̫͉̬̟̭̣̬̲̙͖̮̯̠̫͕̪̤̣͔̠̙̮̣̜̣̤̹̺͎͖̜̥̙͉̜̹̠̳͑͛̽͗̓̿̅̓͆̊̒͌͒̔̒̃̆͑̉͂͗̅̀̈́̍́̐̂͆̍͋̈́̌̓̒̽͐̒̊̚͘̚Ą̵̧̗̹̳͉̼͓͕̜̜̠̞͔̩̮̭̭͓͍͓͇͓̜̲̝̼̺̦͍̞̓͜ͅA̷̡̢̡̡̨̨̡̮̯̬͉̩͉̩̜̙̦͇̭͚͉̮͍̭̙̟̤̼̩͓̰̝̗͉͖̜̲̯̼̰̩͎͎̤͍̦͙͓̩̲͛̈́̎̈̓̈̂̆̒̆̄̓͂͋͑̈́͌̽̓͛̅̊̓͐̏͊͆̉̇̂̽͗̅̍̏̌͋̌͗͘͘͘͘̕͘͜͝͠Ȧ̵̱̖͔̤̣̙̜͈̿̊͐̒̆̌́̃͆̂͒̈́̄̈́̽̊̋͑̈͜Ą̸̡̧̡̧̲̯̭̣̗̞̤̣̹̘̟̫̜͚̙͇̜̿̓̌̿͛̈́̃̿̔̅͐̇͂̓̐͛̀̄̐̌͗͑͊̄͛̄̒͂̐̐̎̈́̓̕̚͜͜͝͝͝ͅĄ̶̨̡̢̛̛̥͚̘̯͕̮̱̲͔̮̤͈͚̼̫̣̫̠̪͇͓̟͉̺̗̟̟̯̦̙̼̪̬̝̝͔̖͓̜̿͋̓̎̾͊͐̌̀̾͒̈́̉̀̿̿͐͋̾̐̈́͘̕̚̚̕͝A̵̧̨̧̡̧̢̨̛̙͖̳͇̫̺̗̭͕̳̭̮̝̤̻̙̗̣̘̟̳͈̰͚̞̲̘͖̞̠̯̺̜̖̠̲̖͕̫͉̦͂̒͐̈́̈́͗́͗̈͊̿͌̓͊̒̂͐̔̾̅̔̈́͗͒̏̈́̂̌̒̄̋̈́͘̕̚͠͝͝Ą̶̡̛̛̛̪͈̼̘̤̹͔̻̗̣̝̤̯͚̺̬̩̰̞̤̺̞̘̗̫̹̫̞͈̬͓͎͔̙͖̙̹̬̹̙͉̰̂̉͗̂̏͆̋͂͌͋̒́͌́̽͑͆̑̂͂̈́͑̋̒͛̎̔̆͘̚͘͜͝ͅͅA̸̢̨̢̡̡̡͚̥͓̘̻̟͚͖̩̲̳̱̲̫̯̹̙͉̺̬͉͎̳͍̭͆̐̋͌͆̅͊͆̎̅͗̓͂̇̌̂̽̓̿̎̊̉̈́͊͐̎̎̇̑͛͐̔͛̕̚͜͝͠Ģ̵̨̛͔̤̻̪̹̙̙̠͎̽̀̾́̾͌̀̑̀͐͒́̋̌̈́̈́̈̆̄̾̽̊͗̽̈́̿̎͊̎̈̋̌̐͛̒̾͘̚̕̕̚͝͝͝͝Ĝ̶̡̛̣̤̙̫̹͕̲͒̏̈́̈́̇̈́͒̒͐̏̂͒̽͌̊̈́̂̍̚͠͝Ḥ̴̢̣̠̹̞̪̫͔̥̬͕͙̠̗̣̭̟͕̪͈̙̦̩̱̣̙̻̠̗̠̼͇̮̟̞̜͎̯̼̅̐̿͂̒̐̈̈́͐̽̐̒̒͑̂̚͜͝͝H̸̢͎̤̻̯̬͓͙̬̳̘̘̤̩̟͍̐̓̄̇̏̃̏̿͆̑̓̐̈́͌̌͋̕͠Ḩ̷̡̨̟͉̝͖̯̖͙̦̩̤̬̜̝̞̻͍̪̝̩̦̟̳̬̠͓͚͎̳͐̊̏̋͋̎̍̅̈́͆̋̚͜͜H̸̨̛̛͎̻̱̻͇̭̋͑̇̈̿̔̓̾̃̎͌̈́̾͋̑́͒̈́̚͝Ȟ̶̡̢̨̡̧̡̢̩͚̼̯͎̬͉̖̳͍̗̬̺̭̬͍̼̮̝̤͕̪̼̟̙̠͎̯̻̝̟͓̰̝̙͔̖͇͕̒͋͌̆͐̎̎͗͑̊̓̈́̓͑͊̎̊͌͋̓̋͒̑̎̐͆͗͌̈́̂́̆̐̃̚̕̚̚̚̕̕̕͝͠ͅͅ!̶̧̛̖̺̺̪̪̭̞͖̖̞̗̣̜̎͆̾̾̓͑̀̐̔̈́̄̋̔̎̈́̈́̋̅̏͋̄̇̈́͌̊̅͆̈́̈̇̃̈́̉̂͑̌̓̌̃̆̀́͌̈́̕͘̕͠” The wraith screams, it’s features running. It melts like a monster from some sort of cheesy B-rated horror movie. I slowly removed my sword from the dark cabinet, and turned around. I hesitantly walked out of the space, and climbed the ladder and into the house. I couldn’t have been in there for more than five minutes, but it felt like an eternity. As the trapdoor closes behind me, the thick blood that slowly dripped off my sword quickly dried, and became dust, leaving my blade spotless. I twirled around, trying to see the trapdoor, but there was nothing but smooth floor. 

There’s no evidence of that event now. Just my memories.

When will this nightmare end?


	29. In which we pick up the pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me before writing this chapter: How am I going to make a month of updates stretch over seven days, especially with the Eastern Wolves Arc coming up soon?  
> Me after writing this chapter: five more days to go.

It’s morning now. Brian had seen me descend into the darkness, and had been waiting for me to come up. I relieved him of his duty- we had all been up very late. Now what…. right, Emmalyn.

The sun hurt my eyes as I stride down the street. Without adrenaline pumping through me, I felt strangely bruised. Delilah hadn’t even landed a hit on me, yet my body ached. Maybe…

I quickly glanced around. No one was outside. Even still… I ducked into an alley between two houses, and broke the torch I had placed there to cover myself with shadows from the roofs. I slowly sat down in the darkness, and reached for the straps on my gloves. I loosened the bow and unwound the ribbons. No! It was darker! 

I pressed my fingers into the crescent shaped bruise- well. It’s.. not a bruise. I can’t keep calling it that. Bruises don’t last for a month and withstand many different healing potions. It… I mean, it showed up after I went to the wyvern realm, and Irene sealed off the wyvern realm… maybe… it’s some sort of magical brand, a punishment for going against her will. 

But what’s worse is the other ones- the ones that had faded- had come back, after the pier incident. At first, they were so faint I thought I was seeing things. I pulled off my boot and stared at my ankle. Yep, those had become darker too. Most of them are in unnoticeable places- one mirroring the darker crescent on my other forearm, one on each of my upper arms, two that go from my shoulder blades and curl around to my collarbones, two that go from the bottom of my shoulder blades and follow the ‘v’ of my hips (or maybe they’re the same tattoos that touch my collarbones), one that goes from my lower back and curls around my thighs, one around each ankle in a band, and… two on my face, under each eye, like an Altean face marking. The rest could be covered with long sleeves and high collars, but the two on my face were… noticeable. Right now they’re so faint, they can be mistaken as eye bags. Hopefully.

I sigh and put my clothing back on. Maybe I should talk to Zoey about this. Though, there’s a lot of things going on right now, I don’t want to add to the stress… but what if it’s serious? Nah, if it was serious I would know by now. What was I doing? Right, Emmalyn.

“M’Lord?”

“Ah! Oh, hey there Garroth.” I shoved myself up with shaking hands.

“What were you doing back there?” He sounds amused.

“Oh, y’know… stuff… things…”

“Well, I have to report Zane is gone. You… were right. I… I should be happy, yet all I feel is a deep, burning anger. How could he do something like this? I know him. I know him. He’s my brother. I… never thought him capable of such cruelty. I knew he’d act on Father’s orders, but to do something like this, on his own…! I-“ I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Hey… calm down. It is what it is. We have to focus on the here and now, not daydream about what we’re gonna do to Zane.”

He sighed. “I know… wait. Dallas, you said the repercussions would be… short term. Do you know what we have to do, in order to give Delilah back her youth?”

“...No… I just know it will be. Perhaps a magicks user, or a Witch will know more. It seems like their sort of thing. Do you know where we could find a Witch?”

“No… well, there used to be one in O’Khasis, but then she got into a brawl with a magician-magics user, and they both got kicked out. They both were pretty popular with the O’Khasis guard, and used their magic for similar purposes… novelty cafés- oh.”

“Was... the magicks user Kawaii-Chan?”

“Yes. I knew I knew her from somewhere, just never thought it’d be… that. ( _...becoming a man, they said. Well I’m a man, and I didn’t need s-sexual… things… to become one! _ )Do you think that Kawaii-Chan knows where the Witch is?”

“Well, if this Witch is her rival, it’d make sense if she kept tabs on her.”

“... kept tabs?”

“Y’know, keep track of, know what they’re doing, that sorta thing.”

“Right. And if you don’t know about Delilah’s cure, I don’t suppose you know why Zane left?”

“Something happened. The alliance became second priority. That means something big happened, to O’Khasis, or… to Scaleswind.”

“And if the alliance is second priority to it… It doesn’t matter. I’m a denizen of Phoenix Drop, not O’Khasis. The state of their Lord’s health does not matter to me.”

“You may not live in O’Khasis, but you are still his son. It’s ok to be worried.”

“I said it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. Have you found anything about the black… whatever Zane did to the plaza and surrounding area?” I side eyed him for the abrupt segway, but chose not to press.

“Well… there was this… sort of basement thing, and in the basement there was this… black, rotted heart. Beating. So I stabbed, and it stopped beating, so the blackness will stop spreading now.”

“I… ok. It’s magic stuff. You’re the expert here- er, you know more than me.”

“What? Why would I? I have no reason to study magic, because I do not have magic or magicks, everything is  _ normal _ and  _ fine _ why would you think I have any form of magic?”

“...Right. You don’t” He nudged me with his elbow. “have” Nudge. “magic. Wink wink,” he said in perfect deadpan.

“T-that’s right. I don’t. S-stop acting like you don’t believe me. ANYWAY!” I clapped. “Irene can take care of the blackness. Get rid of it. Or rather, and effigy of her. And for that, we need to go to our resident Irene expert, Emmalyn.”

“Okay. You talk to Emmalyn, I’ll talk to Kawaii-Chan. ...None of this would have happened had I just gone with Zane.”

“You don’t know that! For all we know, he was already planning to do this as a ‘parting gift’! I wasn’t exactly nice to him!”

“... How about we all get some sleep? Between the party and.. this, we all need it we can pick up the investigation in the morning.” I stared at him, but as always, his blocky face was inscrutable.

“... sure.”

“So this is it, huh?” I examined the necklace. It looked so unassuming, yet the vivid memory I have of it glowing pink, staring at me… but there’s no sign of that now.

“Uh. Please put that back, Lord Dallas. I know it doesn’t appear to have any magick or witchcraft within it now, but it didn’t before Zane used it, either. We don’t know how it was activated and we really don't want a repeat performance, please.” With a sigh, I closed the case. Within minutes of Delilah arriving in my house, Zoey had retrofitted her room into a magical ICU. There were potions everywhere, lots of papers… actually, it looked a lot more like a mad scientist’s lab. I turned my attention to Delilah. She’s pretty- as pretty as I can call someone whose face is made up of sixty four pixels. I sighed, and dramatically dropped down on one of the chairs at her bedside. Her mother was clutching some sort of purple charm- it looks like Scaleswind’s insignia- and staring blankly out the window, while her father was pacing, making sharp movements with his arm as if he had his sword drawn, and muttering threats to Zane’s manhood. I put my hand on her forehead, sighing again.

“ Hey there, Delilah/” I sang, “What's it like in New York city?/ I'm a thousand miles away/ But, girl, tonight you look so pretty/ Yes, you do/ Times Square can't shine as bright as you/ I swear, it's true

Hey there, Delilah..”

Well, I always feel better after sleep… not. I couldn’t sleep, not with everything that’s happened, so I just… gave up on trying to. I couldn’t help but return to the site where it happened.

“Kiki?” I stared. Not only was  _ she _ standing in the middle of the blackness, she also brought her animals with her- including Cat!

“Dallas… Mark… look at him… when he came to this exact spot he returned to his normal size…. Did something happen here?”

“I- I don’t know Kiki, all of the  _ blackness _ just  _ appeared  _ for  _ no _ discernible reason!” I snorted. “Yeah, something happened.  _ Zane _ happened.”

“... Did Zane do something? He… he’s kind of a sweet heart… we danced at Donna’s wedding… I- I really hope nothing bad happened.”

“You… like him!?”

“Yeah- I mean, k-kinda.”

I sighed deeply. “ _ Please _ don’t let Molly hear that. Or Dale. Or Garroth- well, he’d probably just get all mopey. Look, I didn’t want him to be a bad guy either. He’s… well, not nice, exactly, but fun. We… we traded death threats… he threatened to burn down Molly’s house with her family still inside it, I threatened to throw him into a ravine. He said he’d call for O’Khasis to raze this village to the ground, I told him I’d beat him to death with his own femur. It was fun. We-“

“N-no, you’re lying! He was so nice, he’d never say anything like that! I’m sure there’s just a mix-up!”

“Kiki… his intentions in coming here were never peaceful. He wanted to drag Garroth back to O’Khasis through whatever means necessary.”

“That- that doesn’t mean- look, I’m sure if you two just talk it out, everything will be fine! Zane would never do anything really bad! S-stop looking at me like that!”

“Oh? Then did I dream Zane setting Molly’s house on fire? Did I hallucinate him trying to kill me? Will you go tell Molly and Dale that Delilah wasn’t cursed, no, that we’re sure when she will wake up, or even if she will wake up, that the full grown woman lying on Zoey’s bed is just a trick of the light, you see, look, there’s Delilah, playing with her blocks!” I took a deep breath, and continued quietly, “I’m sorry for snapping at you. But Zane has proven himself to be an enemy of the village from the moment he approached Garroth. It’s better if you recognize now and let go of any affection you have for him.”

“I- I need a moment to think, please. Is… is Delilah really cursed?”

“Yes.”

She sighs, and the text prompter goes away. I take it as a sign to leave.

Corey squirreled Emma and Kyle into a hidey-hope in his basement. Emmalyn was busy muttering and digging through her shelves. I don’t even think she heard me ask her to report to me or Garroth once she found something. I met Garroth heading out of Kawaii-Chan’s place, clearly disturbed, but reported that Lucinda the witch lives close to Picoro Village, which is roughly four hundred kilometers to the west of here, an eight day journey by horse.

What’s a ki-lom-iter?

“Hmm…” It’s been a day since I talked to Kiki. I finally managed to succumb to exhaustion after checking in on everyone.

“Any luck, Zoey?” I said, eyeing the potions in her hands.

“I’m afraid not… I gave Dr. Doctor the day off, and Kawaii-Chan couldn’t help… it’s been two days since the incident, and yet we’re showing no signs of progression concerning this curse.”

“Well… since Witches are known for their curses, I… and perhaps some others will journey to Picoro Village to enlist the aid of the Witch living there, Lucinda.”

“That’s… that’s a great idea, actually. Um… when will you leave?”

“No sooner than I get rid of the blackness, though I doubt anyone would appreciate me delaying any longer.”

“Why not send someone else out? That’s what guards are for-“

“No. Just as I knew Laurence would return, as I knew Zane would leave, I know I will have to go on this ... trip. I have no more say in it than a caterpillar weaving its own chrysalis.”

“I suppose I cannot dissuade you, then? Very well, once the darkness is gone, you will leave for Picoro village, and the Witch hopefully will assist us in lifting the curse and waking Delilah. Do we… know if the witch will assist us?”

“Kawaii-Chan vouches for her. Says she’s stubborn, but kind-hearted, and will agree to help once she hears the words ‘child’ and ‘curse’ in the same sentence.”

“Well, that’s good. Delilah is going to be okay, I bet my immortality on it.” Oh, right, she’s an elf… fairy… elf-fairy… she’s fey.

“Molly, how are you holding up?” 

“Oh Dallas, thank you for allowing Delilah to stay here! We have quarantined our house, the plaza, and the farm house. No one should step foot in the black and purple stuff, it makes people act… different.” I didn’t actually give her verbal permission, but whatever!

“Thank Zoey, whose bed she’s sleeping on. You’re all welcome to stay here until I get rid of the blackness.”

“T-thank you. I just have to remember to keep my faith in Lady Irene. She will guide us in times of chaos, give safe harbor to the victims, and heal those who are in need. She will provide a way to heal my baby. I-I can’t let Delilah feel any misery from me.”

“Well, I will be leaving shortly to enlist the help of a Witch.”

“Leaving? But-“ she twisted around in her chair to face Zoey, and the two just… stare each other down. What are they doing? I can’t see their expressions. “I wish you luck in your endeavors, Lady Dallas.”

Perhaps she was just worried about me? I walked upstairs- no time like the present to check on everyone.

“Um- um, Lord D-Dallas, I um…” Emmalyn stammered. So she was listening! A small smile appears on my face.

“What’s up?”

“I- I didn’t find anything that could help Delilah, b-but…”

“Yeah?”

“I- I know how to neutralize the black and purple entity!” I smiled much more sharply. Now we’re talking.


	30. In which I sleep the most times out of any chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, this chapter would have come out tomorrow if I didn't randomly decide to draw this today. It's 24 characters- the most out of any artwork I've ever drawn. It has everyone in Nostalgia as of the next chapter... except Dallas. Also they aren't lined up by height so you've got like... Lucinda (5'9'') looking tiny next to Laurence who is 6'5'', or Brian (5'7'') looking like a child next to 5'11'' Zane and 6'2'' Castor. Dallas is shorter than all of them, though.  
> I have gotten so many emails from colleges... even with the Corona they are endless. It is clogging up my inbox.

“How?”

“We need wyvern blood… at least that’s what it says in the book.” She cleared her throat. “It doesn’t say anything about how to use it, but uh… I’ll keep looking. I know Garroth has Raven… but I’m not sure he has enough blood…” Well, I can go to their den and ask them to donate some blood to the cause! That’s… well, not easy, but convenient! I smiled at her.

“Well, uh, I’ll be going!” She ran off. Huh, I wonder why she’s so nervous.

“Alla! Alla Alla Alla!” I looked over to see my little brother making a valiant attempt to climb the fence that enclosed his playpen while Brenden silently freaked out behind him.

“Hey Levin!” I giggled, lifting him up. “You’re getting really big, huh?”

“He sure is,” said Brenden. “Look, he even got his first chest hair from- aw, it’s just a chocolate chip cookie smear.”

“Well, I’d be worried if he had his first chest hair at this age!” I set Levin down inside the playpen, ignoring his discontented cries. Brenden laughed awkwardly.

“Well, thanks for keeping an eye on him!” Now, where is the den again? I suppose I can just ask Garroth- oh he’s just down on the beach! Is he being angsty again?

“Hey Garroth, watcha looking at?” He sighed heavily, staring at the horizon. 

“Zane sent me a letter. I… haven’t read it yet.”

“Well, gimme.” I held my hand out, and he slipped a scroll into it. I peeled away an official looking wax seal with my thumbnail and unfurled it.

‘Dearest brother,

I’m so sorry I had to leave town so abruptly. Some official business came up that is more important than the treaty. It brings me much sorrow to announce that the High Council has decided to put your engagement on hold, though fret not- it shall happen sooner or later. Until then, well, enjoy the single life I suppose!

I wanted to thank you and Lord Dallas for your amazing hospitality. I had so much fun in Phoenix Drop! I do hope you all aren’t too mad about Delilah- you’re all smart, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to fix, heh heh heh. Can’t wait to see you soon, big brother!

Sincerely, 

High Priest Zane of O’Khasis.

Ps. Give Kiki a kiss for me.’

I blinked several times at the paper, but the words on it didn’t change. Did he… really just write out an evil laugh?

“Well?” Garroth asked impatiently.

“Good news, you’re off the hook with the daughter of the Lord of Scaleswind- bad news- only for now. Also, I’m pretty sure he threatened us, but I’m not sure how.”

“The engagement is off for now? Oh sweet Irene! This gives me more time to figure things out… perhaps I can fake my death again? Anyway, I will be on patrol for now… we can’t trust anything he says. Keep on your toes, Lord Dallas.”

“Oh, by the way, where is Raven? I need to talk to him.”

“Well, he should be in his den, though if he is sleeping I recommend visiting another time.” Ok, so, the den is in the forest to the …west? Under a tree? ...Maybe I should check on Kiki. I don’t like that he mentioned Kiki. He extended his stay with no real reason- I mean, if this was all really about Garroth, then couldn’t he have just taken him the moment his identity was revealed? No, Zane must have had some ulterior motive. Maybe it has to do with the blackness, I don’t know. But it makes no sense for him to have just stayed so long, if the marriage was really so important. Which raises the question- why was he really here. Garroth has been here… for a long time now. Surely if this was so urgent Zane or someone else would have come to collect far earlier? I don’t know. It makes me uneasy. Something is up and I don’t know what. I should check on Kiki. He has no romantic interest in her so why would he wine and dine her?

Kiki gives me a mini-heart attack when I find her sound asleep on the bed. Even with the party I would expect her to be up by now.., but I shouldn’t disturb her. If Zane was really here to spread the blackness, my top priority should be getting rid of it. Now I don’t quite remember where the den is, but perhaps if I check where Ungrth… died…

As soon as I get there, I know I’m in the right place. Through the trees I can see the glimmer of gold and the shimmer of diamonds and emeralds. It seems they have constructed an elaborate grave.

“Hey Raven,” I said quietly.

“He’s gone… Ungrth…”

“Yeah…”

“Ungrth’s thoughts were not always pure, which is why we exiled him, but in his last moments… we could all feel the affection he had for Laurence. He gave his life up for another, and so we will honor him as one of us. If he was still alive, we’d gladly call him our brother again…”

“I need your help.”

“... Yes?”

“You’ve seen the blackness? I… Emmalyn found a book that stated a purification ritual using wyvern’s blood could get rid of it… but that doesn’t seem quite right…”

“Ha… HAHAHA! No, it isn’t right. I swear, humans will just write anything.”

“So, is there… a purification ritual?”

“Well yes, but it is not quite a purification as it is a healing ritual. The entity that you speak of is a symptom of a rip being torn through the realm barriers. The rip has been infected with foreign magic. In the right hands, it can be used for great acts. However, if one does not know what they are doing, it can damage their magic and soul. There are few humans who are adept at realm magic, Irene being one of them.”

“So what’s the ritual?”

“This is not the first time someone recklessly hopping realms has left a tear. As such, there is a ritual to mend them. If you place a piece of tanzanite, surround it with water, place chiseled quartz around the water, creating a basin, and then place four more pieces of tanzanite in the corners of the ‘basin’. Then you toss the souls fragment of a departed wyvern-  _ not  _ the blood of one- into the center. However those are hard to find in in this day and age.”

I stared at the grave. “Ah. Aaah… ah. Ah. Ah. Aaaahhh. Ahh no. Jesus. I’m not going to have to desecrate Ungrth’s grave, am I?”

“It’s not desecration if it’s freely given. It’s… what he would have wanted.”

“Hhhhhh…. well then. I better hop to it.”

“We have the required materials in our den, though do NOT take more than is necessary. We will know. Good luck.”

The purple white spirit tumbled out of the item frame all too easily. It rests in my hand, as light as a ping-pong ball. Tendrils of misty light pool on my hand and wrap around my fingers, making it seem as if it is melting. Despite its lightness, it sticks to my hand when I turn it upside down. Now, where is their den? West?

Oh, it’s right here. The quartz and tanzanite are in a crate in the back of the cave. I took sixteen chiseled quartz and exactly five tanzanite, and headed to the plaza.

With the well already having water in it, I build the ritual thingy around it, exactly how Raven described it. Once the water was all smoothed out, I summoned the soul fragment to my hand.

“Well…” I stared at it. “Goodbye.” I threw it onto the tanzanite.

“Dallas? DALLAS?” I was being roughly shaken by…

“Ugh, Garroth?” It feels like a sisyphean effort just to open my eyes.

“What did you do? I say a flash of light and I ran over here and all of the black and purple stuff has turned into diamonds and there’s a statue of Lady Irene with something magic in her hands and you were passed out-”

“That’s nice… we should… mine all the diamonds… put it in a chest… ender chest… secure… mmmmm… why’m I tired…?”

“Dallas? Dallas!”

I woke up in my bed.

“Thank Irene!” a woman shouted. I winced at the volume. “Don’t scare us like that, Dallas!”

I opened my eyes to see what looks like most of the village crammed into my bedroom. “Well, I got rid of the blackness, didn’t I? It needed to be done.” I said nonchalantly.

“Tell someone before doing something like that! You almost gave poor Garroth a heart attack! He broke down Zoey’s door with you in his arms!” Dale said.

“Uh… sorry. How long was I out?”

“For the better part of three days,” said Kawaii-Chan. I sighed.

“Well, do we know how many stacks of diamond blocks we have now?” I said, moving onto a lighter topic. I noted people filling out of the room, leaving just me, Garroth, and Laurence, who’s holding Levin.

“I can see now,” he comments.

“Maybe your eyes were infected with the blackness?” I suggested.

“I… maybe. Anyway. Me, Garroth, and Brenden mined close to ten stacks of diamond blocks.”  _ Ten stacks _ , I slowly mouthed to myself. Let’s see, 64 times 10 is 640, 640 times 9 is… 5400… 360… 

“We have… approximately five thousand, seven hundred and sixty diamonds?” Wow, I can afford to build Keralis’s office, multiple times over.

“Yes. We let Molly and Dale keep the diamonds in their house- it only seemed right,” Garroth said.

“That’s a lot,” I say dumbly.

“In other news… you have a visitor,” he continues.

“What? Who?” 

“It’s… well, he claims to know you… It’s best if you just follow us.” The way he’s saying it… no, it can’t be Castor, can it? I tug on my shoes and follow my guards- guard- to ...Kiki’s barn?

“By the way, has Kiki woken up yet?”

“No.. I haven’t seen her…  _ at all! _ ” says Laurence.

Garroth sighs deeply. “He’s been making blindness jokes ever since you did that thing.”

I giggled. “Really though… uh, is that a werewolf?” I stared at the pure white werewolf. None of Boldof’s pack has a white coat.

“Sibling Dallas!” The werewolf greets me like an overexcited puppy, complete with slobber everywhere. 

“.... Uh… Are- are you Lowell?”

“Yes!”

“Jesus fuck you’re huge!”

“Haha! Werewolf pups grow faster than human ones! I mean, I’m an adult now and you’re still a pup!”

“There’s no way you’re of age already!”

“Ahaha... I’m as tall as Alpha, so I’m an adult!”

“That’s not how it works! I’m taller than both of my Grandmas but I’m not older than them!”

“Wow… your grandmothers must be short.”

“They are but don’t let Grandma Cora hear you say it, she’s really sensitive about it. Anyway, how are you? Why are you here?”

“Ah, well… our pack is at war.”

“What!” I exclaimed. “With who?”

“With the pack who lives to the east… and... it’s not going well. We need Kiki. Alpha… Boldof has been injured.”

“Is it- is it bad? No, that’s a ridiculous answer, hold on, let me get her-” I stop, staring at Kiki’s still sleeping form. Lowell stares up at me from the bottom of the ladder.

“Kiki..” I shake her.

“Ugh… Dallas? Whassup?”

“HEY KIKI!” Lowell shouts. “WE NEED YOU TO COME TO OUR HOME!”

“Boldof is injured,” I contributed quietly.

“Boldof… needs me? I…” She collapses onto the bed with a grunt.

“Are you okay?” I asked worriedly, running to her bed. 

“Ngh… I’m fine… just a little headache..”

“This doesn’t seem like a little headache to me.”

“Well,” sayd Garroth, “If it’s okay, Kiki can sleep on it for one day and you two can leave bright and early tomorrow. Can Boldof wait that long, Lowell?”

“Erhm… it should be fine. Sister Kiki should not go anywhere while she herself is injured.”

“I- I can go alone!” Kiki protested.

“Kiki, You can’t even get out of bed right now…” I said.

“Sibling Dallas is right, Kiki. I cannot stay long- the pack is looking to me for leadership while Boldof is incapacitated. We will see you two tomorrow, okay?

“Ngh… I.. fine. See you then, Lowell…”

I stare at her. “I think she’s fallen back asleep, guys.”

“That doesn’t sound good…” said Laurance.

I stare at him from the base of the ladder. “No. We should leave her to rest.”

“Now,” said Garroth, “Brenden and Dale were talking to me about something we could do with the diamonds…”


End file.
